Where Are You Now?
by ionegirl
Summary: Years she had thought of the man that practically raised her, then she finds him in the rain. Okita Soushi, has he really returned from the dead or is this just a joke on Saitou. RR
1. Prologue: The Day You Went Away

AN: Okay this is my first try at a really good (or so I want it to be) story in Rurouni Kenshin. Also I would like to mention that I do not own Rurouni Kenshin because a stupid little bird told me so. Now, the purpose of this story is to show a sort of alternate universe of Okita, everyone knows what happens to Okita and that he dies from tuberculosis. It is said that he died at age 25 but I am going to make a tad-bit longer. We know that he has tuberculosis and he fights along side with Saitou, but what about other things in his life that we never knew about. Did he have any relationships or family, and did he ever think about getting married? Well in this story, I take all of this into consideration and I truly hope that you enjoy my story. Any material that seems the same from any other stories is just a mere coincidence.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Prologue: The Day You Went Away  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'Tears of silence rage within, friendship forever, love a sin. Windows looking out, yet never in. Loneliness is naught, but a silent kin. Lies of truth buried deep. Rocking softly in mothered sleep. Prayers to God for endless keep yet none will come for those who weep. A death awaits a meery path, entering a stale waters bath. De-educating one of simple math brought a feeling of tortured wrath. Deeds were done and swallowed past, life can go so very, very fast. Leaving life alone and felling last, clinging to loves hopeless mast. Laments called upon the night, drawing a close from the light. Lovers drawn together tight, yet Loneliness is what most fight...' -April Zumwalt  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The trickling rain fell from the soft gray sky and landed onto the wet mushy ground. It had been raining since morning and Aiko's high hopes had fallen just like the sprinkling rain. Quiet drops soothed her longing inner being as she sat restrained on the porch, the place she was unable to leave. Aiko sighed once and stood up gracefully, her dark brown eyes starred out into the now pouring rain, they were not about to show up today. Sighing once more she swiftly turned to the entrance that she had left open when she retreated from her dark cold room.  
  
"Sister."  
  
Aiko turned to face the young and vulnerable Takara, the youngest sibling of the well-known family. Her face seemed to fill with sadness when finally realizing that their beloved father would not be showing his stern face tonight. Takara was the spitting image of their father, she had the strength, the courage, and the looks of him except she was a female and he was a male. Aiko's eyes looked away from her little sister and walked inside the cold room. Her bright pink kimono slowly turned shadowy, Takara moved quickly to the doorway and stepped in. Her small hands and arms embraced her sister's legs and hugged them tightly burying her face into the soft cotton kimono.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The silence of the giant wooden room was broken when a harsh coughing and hacking sound came from the back. Saitou turned his head slightly toward the exhaling Okita who sat restrained on the floor; his mouth covered by his shaky hands and his eyes harshly closed together. Soon uncovering his mouth only to reveal a few drops of blood on his hands, Saitou's eyes narrowed and starred at the now trembling Okita. The boy sat quietly just like before and rested his eyes, sighing once and exhaling the warm air, he let his hand lay comfortably on his left leg. Saitou watched as the Captain of the first squad fell into a tranquil sleep.  
  
'The disease is getting worse.' Saitou thought that as he starred at the wooden floor, his arms crossed tightly and his sword stayed tucked to his side. The once strong fifteen year old boy named Okita had now fallen deathly ill and the illness would soon devour him.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"Aiko more swiftly this time!" Yelled the general of the Shinsengumi, who sat on the patio of the gigantic house. Standing next to him was Saitou who talked business with General Kondo and Okita who stood by Saitou's side and watched Aiko. She gasped for air and smiled greatly making her father grin back.  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"Which means the Hitokiri Battousai will be in Kyoto next week." Saitou exclaimed and turned his head to the now interesting Okita who now kept his eyes from not wandering.  
  
(End)  
  
Okita woke up quickly by the sudden urge to cough his head jerked forward and his hand rose promptly to once again shield his mouth. Saitou starred back at Okita, this time worried for his sake and well being. The next day they will surely return to General Kondo's house once again and drop Okita off, Saitou could no longer bear to see Okita suffering like this. Okita looked up at his worried master and wanted to question him when instantaneously he coughed even harder than before. Okita soon leaned forward with his hand pressed tightly against his face; Saitou grabbed his shoulder and helped him up. No, they weren't waiting until morning, they were leaving now.  
  
"We're leaving." commanded Saitou as he stood up, soon looking towards him with confused expressions the few that were still awake knocked on their partners heads to awake them. Okita did not move however he just sat there, leaned over like before.  
  
"Okita, we're moving out now. I hope that's fine with you." Said Saitou in a very calm tone, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall he soon heard his young companion speak.  
  
"Yes, but I don't think I can move at this very moment."  
  
Saitou instantaneously looked down at Okita and soon kneeled right by him, he grabbed Okita's shoulder gently and moved him up a little. In no time at all, Saitou could see that the hand that Okita was coughing in had an unusually amount of blood in it this time, Saitou gasped. Speedily grabbing Okita's left arm and wrapping it around his neck he pulled Okita up and walked to the door. Edo wasn't far from here, surely they would be able to make it there in time.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The fresh air of the summer rain seemed inescapable to Aiko as she slowly opened her heavy eyes to her still dark room. A gentle soft breathing sound came from the side of her and the small eight-year-old child known to be her little sister slept quietly huddled by her. Kondo, their father, the leader of the Shinsengumi, had left on a trip to Kyoto for some unknown reasons. It seemed that he had become even stricter after their mother died giving birth to Takara.  
  
Aiko felt the spell of sleep wash over her once again and easily fell back asleep until a dreadful sound came from outside. She immediately rose to sit up, waking her sound asleep sister she crawled out of bed. Her body still seeming tired she stumbled towards the long awaited door. Her shaking hands opened the shoji and in the distance was a blue and black blur. Aiko squinted her eyes, and then when finally able to see the blur far away from her she gasped. It was the Shinsengumi and father, who walked unhappily towards the house. But there was something wrong with this picture, where was Okita, where was her friend. They walked forward and then when she had tried to look at what had happened, one of the lower ranked soldiers had pushed her back.  
  
"Hey!" Aiko yelled and got up through all of the commotion.  
  
"Take him this way Saitou!" Muttered Kondo as he pointed down the hall, his face full of concern for his weakened comrade. He looked at his bewildered daughter who stood there full of confusion. He walked forward and put his hand on his thirteen-year-old daughter's head and gently rubbed it.  
  
"Aiko, try to stay away from all of this and keep your sister away from this as well."  
  
She tried to speak, her mouth had opened but nothing had came out, knowing that it would be better not to talk back and simply nodded. Kondo stood up and walked away from his very tired and confused child. Though her father had told her not to, she had to. She had to know what was going on, slipping through many narrow halls that mainly created the mansion that she lived in. Soon hearing many voices she stopped in her tracks and silently listened.  
  
"How much longer does he have Doctor?"  
  
"I can only give you a guess and that is about a month."  
  
(Coughing occurs)  
  
"His tuberculosis is getting worse by every day he coughs."  
  
"Kondo, how will we break the news to your daughter."  
  
"She doesn't-" (Coughing continues) "she doesn't have to know about it." Aiko knew this muffled voice, it was..........No! It couldn't have been him; it couldn't have been Okita-san.  
  
"Please young man, try to get some rest."  
  
"Yes, you have to regain your energy so you can tell the girl yourself." Came the stern voice of Captain Saitou.  
  
"I told you." (Cough, cough) "she doesn't have to-" (Cough, hack, wheeze) "know."  
  
"Please Okita lay down, you are not in the right condition to move around."  
  
Hearing the deep tone of her father had scared her, moving her hand to her chest she could feel her heart beat incredibly fast. Her body knew what this meant; Okita was diseased with the most horrible disease that she had just found out about, tuberculosis. Feeling a tear go down her cheek she slowly turned into the darkness. Okita, the boy who always played with her and who always with her was about to die.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Okita sat by the window and watched the stars slowly twinkle above him. A soft cry came from the other side of his door, his head turned and watched it open up slowly only to reveal the sniffing young girl who had her eye covered with her right fist.  
  
"Okita-san, I had a bad dream." She sniffed some more and walked in his room, Okita smiled and opened his arms, the girl soon ran right to him but only to hug him and fall asleep in his warm embrace. (Kay, to give you a little hint the girl is Aiko and she is about eight years old right now.) Her father and mother had left to Kyoto for some personal business and had left Okita to take care of her.  
  
"You know what Aiko?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bad dreams are just dreams that you wish not to face, but if you do face them then you can become stronger then them."  
  
Aiko stared at him half-puzzled and half tired, did he want her to face a dream.  
  
"You're so confusing Okita-san."  
  
She buried her head into his clothing and closed her already heavy eyes.  
  
(End)  
  
No, she wouldn't turn away this time, not away from anyone especially from Lord Saitou. Aiko turned a corner and stopped instantly for right in front of her was two cold yellow eyes.  
  
'Well, then again, maybe if it is Lord Saitou.' Giving a weak grin Aiko tried to walk past him but only to soon to be blocked by Saitou's rough hands. The door was right in front of her and yet she was unable to reach it, giving a whimper of defeat Aiko took a few steps backwards and looked up at Saitou's stern face.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Gomen, I just wanted to see Okita-san."  
  
Aiko bowed and turned away to walk back down the lonely dark hallways once again. She couldn't believe it, no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to see his face, and she was only able to see the Wolf of Mibu's face that truly wasn't very pleasant. Aiko stopped right in front of her sister's door; unable to hear her siblings breathing she grinned greatly. After all she always had to be stuck in this darn mansion, all she could do was explore it and with that she found that there are many ways to get past the yellow-eyed monster. Of course she would have to wait till morning to do this right now all she needed was sleep.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Morning, the time in the day that he had always loved, though it meant that he was getting closer to his death by the passing minutes. The sun barely illuminating the room he brought his right hand up to his forehead, sighed, and sat up slowly in his futon. Last night was a very painful night, he had coughed non-stop and yet luckily not that much blood came with it. Okita's soft brown eyes stared blankly into nowhere, his ears heard nothing but only that of pure silence.  
  
A sudden distant voice came from outside, "Aiko, go to the training hall I'll meet with you there soon."  
  
"Yes, father."  
  
Okita fell backwards onto his futon once more and threw his arms to the side, he didn't want to get up yet, and he wanted to enjoy his drowsiness a bit more. His eyes closed and he sighed deeply making himself fall half- asleep. Not even noticing that his friend Saitou was opening his shoji. Saitou walked inside and looked at Okita's sleeping face, he grabbed Okita's blankets and pulled them right off. Okita woke up immediately and stared at Saitou's cold face, all he could do was give a cheesy grin.  
  
"Wake up, Boy!" He said and dropped the blankets onto the floor and walked away.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"More swiftly Aiko!"  
  
"Right." Her face paled, her father was actually training her, and usually it was Okita-san who taught her the art of the Tennen Reshin Ryuu. Kondo must have understood her look when fear struck his daughters young eyes.  
  
"Aiko, never show fear to any opponent understood?"  
  
She blinked a few times and nodded putting on a strong face and held her wooden sword like her father was. Kondo started his attack from his left foot and ran swiftly over to Aiko. She held up her wooden sword in defense as her father forcefully pushed his sword against her, Aiko gasped and fell on her back onto the hard wooden floor. The wooden sword flew in the air and landed by the entrance to the training hall. Hijikata, who happened to be sleeping at the time, only had his head slip from its resting-place due to the slight occurring noise.  
  
"I'll take over now." Came a cheerful voice from where the sword had landed, they both looked only to see the smiling face of Okita. Kondo was shocked and his face became concerned but unlike her father Aiko had a smile on as large as Okita's. He soon nodded his head and walked carefully over to the young man who watched the elder man's eyes. Kondo stopped shortly by Okita's side and whispered to him.  
  
"Are you sure Okita?"  
  
"There's nothing to worry about, she is just a girl."  
  
"That's not what I meant Okita."  
  
With this said Kondo nodded his head and left without any sound once so ever. Aiko watched peacefully as her father left the gigantic room that she was sitting in the middle of. Okita walked in front of her and leaned over her with a grin crossing his face. She noticed and turned her head towards him.  
  
"How can you be so reckless?" Okita asked as he straightened himself up, holding his bokken by his hand and had it hang over his shoulder. Aiko narrowed her eyes and also stood up and held her bokken in front of her.  
  
"What do you mean so reckless, I'd like to see you face my father!" Aiko ran towards Okita holding her weapon to her right side and went to strike at him. Okita swiftly moved out of her way and dodged her attack. Soon stopping in her tracks she quickly turned around and repeated her attack once more. He could only shake his head and simply dodge her attack once more then hit her back with his wooden sword.  
  
"Ow! What did you do that for?!"  
  
"Well, I have to protect myself you know."  
  
Aiko rubbed her head roughly and starred up at the grinning Okita; he was always smiling, his face seemed to cheer up her the toughest of moods..which means Saitou.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Captain Saitou, General Kondo wants to speak with you." Hijikata informed as he stood in the doorway of the Shinsengumi headquarters. His gi a dark blue and his hakama's were gray just like the rest of the Shinsengumi's. The sun shone brightly through the doorway making it almost impossible to see what was outside. Saitou, who was leaning against a nearby wall nodded and pushed himself away from it.  
  
Once outside they both walked down the streets of Edo only for a short while. Saitou's destination was very close but far away from the guard's. Kondo was standing behind a post waiting patiently for the captain of the third squad to come. He stopped and turned his back to Kondo leaning up against the post to at least comfort himself.  
  
"What is it General Kondo?"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko walked slowly down the street, her arms held in front of herself just like a proper lady would do. Okita would always laugh at her for walking like this since she usually disobeyed the concepts on being a lady and always walked down the streets like a boy. That was the Aiko that Okita knew well, not this wait at home for your loved ones to return girl. She had to admit she had changed a lot since the time the Shinsengumi attacked ikade-ya. Her hair was no longer allowed to hang loose without a ribbon so she decided today she would tie her hair back only enough to keep it out of her face.  
  
A slight breeze drifted by the street and some of the people's clothing would rustle in the wind. The markets were always full and children of all ages would fill the street. Men from different clans and women from different statuses would wander around a bit with a man. Aiko should've had someone come with her but the only person who wasn't busy was Harada Sanosuke, the Captain of the tenth squad of the Shinsengumi.  
  
Suddenly, a voice caught her off guard and she looked towards the direction it was coming from. Her eyes grew wide and her breath was cut off. It was her father and Captain Saitou who were both talking but were not facing each other. She leaned in closer to hear what they were saying and soon she wished she didn't.  
  
"We're leaving for Kyoto tomorrow, tell your troops to get ready."  
  
Aiko froze; they were leaving..tomorrow? Her hands pushed away from the post that she had encountered a second ago and ran as fast as she could back home.  
  
'No, they can't leave! Can't leave tomorrow!'  
  
Aiko shook her head in disbelief, tears now making their way down her soft cheeks. They had just came back and Okita had just recovered but he can't leave yet. Then, realizing what she was thinking, she stopped and shook her head to bring her back to reality.  
  
'What am I saying? Why am I being so selfish?'  
  
She shadowed her eyes and continued walking; her hand rose to wipe the now drying tears. Her figure soon disappears into the rumbling crowd of Edo.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Night, the time of day that seems best for predators, but also seemed to scare children as if itself was a predator. The stars twinkled with such delight, ever so often a firefly would pass by his face and he could feel the warm glow it possessed. Warm, the fireflies were always free to roam about and do what the pleased, if he were to stay still, very still, one would actually land on him. The creek's waters so very gentle, and the night so very quiet.  
  
Okita fell back onto the grassy ground, his eyes soon scanning the endless blanket of sparkling dots. His arms held up above his head, resting from a hard day of practice. So many people, could he protect so many people in his state? Could he live through this war? He had no answers, his skills could not provide it and the people around him could not provide it.  
  
Footsteps, small childlike footsteps were coming towards him. Okita sat back up and turned his head slowly as if to see another predator of the night, but only he saw the now thirteen-year-old girl named Aiko. Aiko means kindness, and through her whole life she has proved that her mother was absolutely correct.  
  
"Okita may I ask you something?"  
  
"At this time of night? Well it must be important if you want to talk to me now of all times."  
  
A small smile crossed his face, expecting that her grim features would as well seem happy. Aiko displayed any happiness though; a smile must not have wanted to return to her soon making Okita's smile fall.  
  
"Aiko what's wrong?"  
  
"Father said that you and the other troops would be leaving for Kyoto."  
  
"So ka? Well there's nothing I can really do about it, I am a member of the Shinsengumi."  
  
Okita's smile came once again, this time making him seem a little more passionate about the whole comment. Ever since this conversation began, the night seemed even more still, the fireflies now no longer moved and the creek no longer made the peaceful sound. Aiko's head lowered she felt like crying. How was she going to say this to him, a twenty-four year old man whom never cries?  
  
Aiko tried to exhale slowly calming her inner being that wanted to badly to run away. She returned her gaze to Okita who now just sat and watch the glowing fireflies.  
  
"But."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Okita looked back at the confused girl, he could tell that something was bothering her. What it was he certainly could not tell.  
  
"Okita." her voice began to drop, "don't pretend anymore, I know you have tuberculosis."  
  
It felt as if he were just slapped in the face, as if someone had knocked the wind right out of him. How had she found out about it? Okita looked back down at the grass, how could he talk to her, how could he say that everything was going to be alright when in truth everything wasn't going to be. A long silence went between the both of them, Okita watching the firefly's absentmindedly and Aiko, who now sat right by him, stared at the nightly grass.  
  
"Okita, how many times did you get to see fireflies in Kyoto?"  
  
"Well, usually there are fireflies in spring and summer, right in those times. They are quite beautiful over there in Kyoto Aiko, to bad I am not able to take you to such a place."  
  
Okita sighed, a slight vision appeared in his head. There he was, standing in the middle of a mess of blood. Blood on him, his sword held in his right hand and his face seemed shadowed by the darkness of the day. Bodies laying torn all around him, some in a heap, and yet...and yet, a firefly floated around him so peacefully.  
  
"Well, Aiko shall we leave back to the mansion?"  
  
Standing up and holding his hand in front of her, he still smiled, even though he had been figured out, he smiled to keep the rest of the soldiers happy. It was the least that he could possibly do since he failed to protect that one person. Aiko looked up; her face was still moistened do to all the silent tears she had cried. Something about his smile though made her feel warm inside and Aiko couldn't help but to return the warm smile that she herself possessed. Soon she stood and they both walked away, silently and peacefully, like the fireflies themselves.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Captain Okita, its time to inform the men." Said the harsh voice of Saitou who leaned on the nearby wall that was closest to Okita. The man sat comfortably in front of a lantern that lit up his very dark room.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"The reason I speak to you tonight is a reason we all must know or have figured. We have fought for the sake of the Shouganate, and many of our allies and soldiers just like you have fought in this era and died in this revolution by the hands of many men hoping for a new era that we must not allow. The most dangerous of these men is the Hitokiri Battousai, the assassin who had reappeared only a short time ago. During the ikeda-ya affair we may have destroyed his clan but the Battousai still lingers in Kyoto and has joined the imperial army. I warn you all now, you may not live through this battle, but I assure you that we will win this war for the sake of Japan!"  
  
All of the men rose their arms into the air, with a captain like Okita what could possibly happen. Saitou walked up to Okita and stood by his side. Okita looked extremely tired and pale, Saitou knew exactly what was going to happen when he returned to his room.  
  
"Doctor?"  
  
"No, it's fine."  
  
Okita smiled that same damn smile he had been giving since he learned of his disease. He had to admit though; Okita was a lot stronger then he was, not in physical strength but in mental. Okita had the true heart of a samurai and that was that, nothing would stand in his way and stop him from his ideals, not even a stubborn disease like tuberculosis could ever stop him.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
What a cold part of night it was, Aiko usually slept through the whole night but this time it seemed different, why did she just wake up? She sat up in bed and rubbed her tired eyes, when quick suddenly it seemed that a pack of animals just came by the mansion. 'A pack of animals? A pack of....' Aiko thundered out of her bed and opened the shoji; there of about to turn the gate was all the troops needed for battle in Kyoto. Also they needed one person, who happened to be captain of the first squad Soushi Okita.  
  
Aiko ran out onto the engawa, her voice was stuck and her hands were held close to her heart. There they went right behind the gate that always kept her from leaving her confined fortress. A few minutes passed and then she was able to break her frozen spell. She leaped of the engawa and ran as hard as she could until she made it to that one gate. When she peered around the gate, everyone was long gone. Okita had left her without saying goodbye.  
  
"Okita."  
  
A few raindrops come and go.  
  
"Okita!"  
  
Some more drop.  
  
"OKITA!"  
  
The rain started to pour on the poor little girl soon making her drenched with water. Aiko fell to her knees, tears now rolling down her face as hard as the rain, her small hands clenched the ground beneath her and she screamed once more.  
  
"OKITA!"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
One week later..  
  
Blood and guts splattered over the landscape, it was a actually very strange. Instead of the Shinsengumi getting their prey in came and got them. Many of the men had already died on both sides and the sky resembled that of blood. Along the men fought Saitou who was about to use his gatotsu. His left arm held back and his right in front of him resting on his blade. Suddenly, a slight cry of pain came through the battlefield. Usually Saitou wouldn't care but this time it sounded different, oh well it was probably just another pathetic man dying.  
  
Okita fell back onto the ground, his left arm bleeding uncontrollably. He looked up at the shadowed figure above him, but soon returned by letting out a hiss of pain. His right hand clutching the wound tightly as he held his sword.  
  
"I never thought I'd be able to annihilate the captain of the first squad like this."  
  
The man held up his sword above his head and lunged it downwards to slice the little mans chest open but Okita soon released his wound and parried it with his sword. This man was strong, even while Okita was standing; it felt as if he was going to be crushed right under him. Before long Okita felt something very odd, he was moving backwards. He couldn't stop himself; the man was so strong in his strength that he was able to push him backwards.  
  
Okita fell down once more, and finally noticed what the man was trying to accomplish. He was trying to push Okita off a nearby cliff that happened to be an inch or two away from Okita's head. He lifted his sword once more and came down upon Okita's. This time, Okita rose his leg under the man's stomach and pushed him backward along with Okita himself. The evil man fell from the cliff, and Okita held on for dear life. He arm was bleeding horribly now and the pain felt like that two swords had sliced him.  
  
His hand weakened and soon slipped off the muddy earth, the earth that had been soaked by heavens tears; he fell to the rapid waters underneath him and disappeared down the river. His uniform however, stayed behind; it had been caught by a branch in the river and now itself hung on for its own dear reputation. Okita Soushi, first captain of the Shinsengumi, had fallen to his death.  
  
Cherry Blossoms, the smell was gone, maybe it was covered by the smell of blood. No, even the most pungent of blood could not over power the scent of a cherry blossom. Saitou stopped momentarily what he was doing, observing every little detail of the battlefield. It seemed everything was fine, until something snapped in his mind. Okita, cherry blossoms, no matter how many times he tried to get rid of the smell, he forever smelled of them. But, the endless smell of strong cherry blossoms was gone, nothing but the smell of sweat and blood.  
  
A final slash through another victim of the enemies fell, and again, the Shinsengumi won one more battle for the Tokogawa Shouganate. Saitou walked over to the cliff and stared down into the vicious river. Sure enough, a blue uniform hung by a branch was down there. His friend, Okita had been killed.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko sat in the middle of her dark room, her soul seemed isolated by the rest of the world. Her face was as white as porcelain and her hair draped down around her facial features. There in her room she had stayed for three days straight since the time that the Shinsengumi had left. She wouldn't budge even for dinner, or for her father's calls. Her body was lifeless and felt as if it were a feather being carried down to river of time.  
  
(Flash-back)  
  
"Aiko, please do eat, you are still a growing young lady."  
  
The little girl looked up at her beautiful mother, who had on one of the most caring smiles that; no man or woman could possibly give. Her eyes were as well a deep brown and her ebony hair tied up into a bun, which was held by a beady pin.  
  
(End)  
  
"Aiko, come and eat please." Came the shrilling little voice of her younger sibling. Feeling strength come back to her body, Aiko rose to her feet and turned to the shoji. Her hand went to grab the wooden panel and soon pulled it open slowly. She walked out of her room without even glancing at Takara but only staring into the long hallway of the mansion that happened to lead straight to the dinning room.  
  
When she finally arrived, she sat down and shut her eyes bowing her head only enough for her father to no longer see her troubled eyes. The maid walked in and laid down a tray of what was to eat for tonight, in other words, rice. Aiko grabbed her bowl and began to eat slowly and gracefully. Kondo stared at his eldest daughter only for a moment before he slammed the bowl on the table making both Takara and Aiko jump in fear. Aiko knew what this was about, she could only tell by the stern look on his face and for Takara to hear this would make her cry.  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"He did have to go to Kyoto."  
  
"Father I never asked of you the reason why he left, I already knew. Even though you of all people should realize that his condition is not the brightest."  
  
"Aiko, you were not snooping around other's business's were you?"  
  
"No, father I overheard that night that you and the soldiers came back."  
  
"Aiko, never again will you disobey my commands!"  
  
What was this feeling that was sweeping over her body, it felt as if both her lungs and stomach were burning up. Suddenly, unable to control her body, Aiko slammed the bowl of rice onto the table just as her father did, rice flying over the table.  
  
"I am not your soldiers father, I am your daughter!"  
  
"And as my daughter you should know your place like a rightful young lady!"  
  
Both their voices seemed to be the same level of intensity. Aiko with her disagreement with Okita leaving and Kondo with his will to protect Japan but disagreement of his daughter's actions. She had choked at his last statement, was she not a graceful young lady like her mother. Her hands shaking on the rice bowl, she slowed her breathing and bowed her head once again, removing her gaze with her father.  
  
A distant sound came from the back of the mansion which made Kondo jerk up. Many footsteps were coming their way, coming to the dining room and without any hesitation, the shoji to the dining room was quickly opened. In the doorway stood Captain Saitou, with his sword sheathed and another damp uniform in his left hand. Kondo sat back down onto the mat, and by the look on Saitou's face, he could tell someone had been killed.  
  
"Captain Saitou, you gave me a scare. I thought you were the Hitokiri Battousai attacking my mansion. The mission went well I presume."  
  
"Aa. Very well except we were not able to kill the Battousai again."  
  
"So ka? Well what happened?"  
  
"We were attacked by a troop of Ishinshishi."  
  
By now Saitou had come to sit at the end of the table and began giving out the details of the battle, completely leaving out the details of Okita. Aiko began to puzzle the uniform that Saitou had long ago set aside. The uniform seemed rather familiar, wait every uniform looked the same, exactly the same as a matter of fact. Takara sat more closely by Aiko and held onto the oldest ones sleeve. Her concentration was fully on Captain Saitou and their father.  
  
"And the uniform, who does it belong to?"  
  
Without any delaying, Saitou said the one thing that Aiko was not ready to hear. She tried to keep her breathing normal but it was no longer controllable.  
  
"Okita has perished General Kondo."  
  
It felt as if Aiko was being suffocated, at that one moment Aiko couldn't breath. Tears now jerked at her burning eyes, and she could feel her mouth go dry. Okita, who was basically with her since she was born was.....dead.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
January 4, 1868 (First Year of Meiji)  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Sister!"  
  
"Takara!"  
  
Struggling against the men who held her, Aiko jerked around trying her hardest to release herself from their hold.  
  
"Be silent!"  
  
Holding his sword over her head the man gripped her hair tighter and yanked her away from the dock. Letting out a painful cry Aiko fell onto her back, the uniform that she wore now spread across the wet dirt of winter.  
  
"Leave her alone she is only a child." Came a deep voice.  
  
Aiko opened her eyes painfully and tried to regain her sight.  
  
"But Himura! She wears a Shinsengumi uniform."  
  
"Who cares, she's an innocent girl leave her alone."  
  
Then she saw him, a man with red hair and yellow eyes. (If I were still in love with Kenshin I'd probably be saying right now :: Red hair yellow eyes :: ) Before she could do anything more, she was kicked in the head, her eyesight finally losing itself and her eyes soon rolled up into her head making her go unconscious.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: HEHE you can so tell that I got tired of writing this chap. GOD it took me so long to do this, and it will probably take me longer to do the next. Well, anyway, I hoped you liked my story so far, cause I really did try to do this well. I'll do all the character notes and replies next chapter. Now do me a grand favor and of course review my delightful story Thank have a nice day! TEE HEE !! ^-^  
  
Fanfic by ione_girl 


	2. Chapter 1: In the rain

AN: Well, not as many reviews as I had hoped but thank you all for reviewing me and especially telling me my weak points and how I force the story. Hint, hint (AngryBee). But the day that I had finished my last chapter, the prologue, I was starting to get a writer's block and I couldn't really do anything to get around it.  
  
Disclaimer: ::Secretly hides all Okita dolls:: Ano, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything that deals with Rurouni Kenshin. ::secretly pulls out an Okita doll and hides it in her shirt:: Yep, yep only me and my imaginary friend here that's right. ^_^  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter one: In The Rain  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'I'm competing against a memory, something I can and will not do. My heart drops wearily, from the love I feel for you. It's what she is and who she is, that drives me far away. It's how she is and where she is, that torments me night and day. She is with us from sunup to sundown, yet you claim to be free. She's turned my world upside down, so why can't you see. I'm competing against a memory, something I can and will not do. My head drops wearily, from the love I feel for you.' - April Zumwalt  
  
* * * * * *  
  
December 8, 1867  
  
* * * * * *  
  
He couldn't breath, it seemed as though a tree was on top of him. Drowsiness still sweeping over his lazy body, twitching his hand he could feel it under him. He was lying down on his stomach, his body feeling so heavy. The roaring sound of a river was behind him and a tense feeling over swept him. Not knowing what was happening, or what his body was doing to itself, he could only feel his mouth move. Agony, nothing but great pain hit his lungs, slitting open his eyes he could only see red in front of him.  
  
Blood.  
  
His fluid of life was flowing out of him just like the river was flowing out of an area of rough rapids. He was dying and nothing could save him now. The hand that was under him pushed as hard as it could to get him onto his back. As soon as he hit the rocky shoreline he let out a short cough that released a mixture of blood and water. His wet black hair laid in strands over his tensed shoulders and face.  
  
A silent murmured voice came from a far off distance it seemed, his ears still feeling the effects of the harsh tones of the water. His body temperature had dropped drastically as he could feel the ice-cold death wash over him slowly. Then, a hand touched his frozen shoulder and shivers went down the man's spine.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
He grabbed the boy's shoulder and pulled him up, feeling the young man go limp in his arms. His arms held around his waist, but he felt something quite odd. The elder man looked down at the boy's hip. There, held snug towards him was the sheath of a sword.  
  
'He is a samurai at his age? Nonetheless, he is in a serious state, if I don't do something, he'll die.'  
  
Now dragging the man that had gone unconscious, the elder man tried his hardest to get him where he truly belongs.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
December 9, 1867  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The sun, warmth shined in on his porcelain face. He had lived another day, but why? He cracked open his eyes and stared at the wooden roof. Where was he? Before another thought could cross his mind an old man leaned over him.  
  
"Ah, I am glad you are alive, you had me quite worried."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am just a doctor who happened to come across you on the shoreline of that ferocious river. You are lucky I came around when I did otherwise you would be dead." The man looked down at the other paled man who eyes seemed to want to go back unconscious.  
  
"May I know your name?"  
  
"It's Okita Soushi."  
  
"Are you a soldier?"  
  
Okita closed his eyes; nothing but pure darkness and something about the darkness made his stomach cringe. 'Was he a soldier?' He couldn't remember, nothing came to his mind. He slowly opened his eyes to look up at the older man.  
  
"I can't remember."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
April 17, 1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Oh Aiko look at the blooming Sakura tree's aren't they magnificent?"  
  
It was hard to believe that Saitou was married to such a kind woman. Her hair danced in the wind as she stared at the newly blooming cherry blossoms. She was a beautiful woman surely, but to be married to Saitou, that was a whole different thought. Tokio seemed exceptionally pretty on the outside but it seemed that she held something harsh and dark in her heart. Maybe that's why they go married, maybe they both had a dark past. Aiko just didn't understand it, how could Tokio handle such a scary man.  
  
Aiko Isami, now a twenty-three-year old woman and young lady now spent most of her days in the house doing chores. It had only been five years ago when Saitou had found her in Osaka. The same place that her and Takara were separated ten years ago during that night when the entire former Shinsengumi member's were to be killed. All, she thought, were supposed to be dead, but seeing that narrowed eyed man's face proved her wrong and before Saitou had found her and took her in, Hijikata took care of her until his death in the Boshin wars. Hijikata was also with her in the very back of the crowd when Aiko's father had been executed. She wanted to see him one last time, to bad the last time she saw him was when he had gotten decapitated.  
  
"What's wrong Aiko?"  
  
All this time, she had been alone, no family except family friends such as Hajime Saitou, or rather Fujita Goro, and Tokio Hajime. Both of them were strict but caring, actually Saitou was the strict one and Tokio was the caring. If it weren't for them both, Aiko would still be wandering the streets of Osaka in an old ragged kimono. If truth be told Saitou could barely recognize her due to all the cuts and bruises she had gained from all the men. Many people thought she was impure and diseased but she was just fighting for her very own existence. Life played a tricky hand on her and the only way she was going to get through in was to live through it.  
  
"Aiko?"  
  
Tokio now stood in front of the saddened young woman, ::sounds like Tomoe:: her eyes gazing at nothing in particular. Aiko had done this quite a lot now, of course she would daydream though what else could she do besides sit on the engawa or does house chores that needed to be tended to. Never did she smile, never did she laugh, and she would only cry and be silent. Tokio had thought she had gone mute until the day when Aiko finally said something, though it was a whisper on her saying two syllables. 'Okita.' Since then, Tokio knew that she was heartbroken but when teishu told her the story about Okita that's when everything fell into place.  
  
Death. Aiko had been surrounded by the horrid essence of death. Every person she had truly cared for her was torn away from her. First her mother, then Okita, after that Takara, and finally her father, each one of them she cared for and now were no longer with her. She couldn't feel the happiness she used to, all she could do was morn for everything. Aiko hated life, she had no more reason to live, and she felt like a ghost of the revolution that slowly drifted into nothingness.  
  
There was no way Tokio was going to get through to the young saddened girl in front of her. Feeling slightly sorrowful herself, Tokio walked around the woman and proceeded to the kitchen. A strange sound came from beyond the rice paper for this time of day; behind it she could make out the outline of a tall person. The shoji slammed open frightening Tokio just enough for her to jump, and in stepped the rather irritated Hajime. She had stopped middle way from the hallway to the kitchen, she could tell that Hajime wasn't in the greatest of moods just by feeling his presence.  
  
"Teishu, you are home early."  
  
"Aa." Was all Saitou could give his beloved wife. 'Seems like I'm not going to get even an hour of sleep.'  
  
"Would you like me to make dinner?"  
  
"Aa. That would be nice."  
  
Not even taking a slight glance over to his wife, he went straight to the back room where all his paperwork lay about. Tokio gave a deep sigh, everyone was just not feeling right today. Of course, Aiko is always in her own world but Hajime seemed rather frustrated. Tokio looked back down the hallway, and the still sad Aiko sat there, her long black hair hung over her small shoulders and her eyes watched as the attractive pedals fell from the trees. She had missed out on the most precious thing there is for a woman and that precious thing is known as love. Eiji, the now adopted son of Hajime and Tokio, had been in the back of the house tending to the garden that he had started when he came to Tokyo. Tsutomu, what was there to say about that one year old little boy who looks up to Eiji.  
  
Tokio continued to saunter back to the kitchen, a small kitchen that a lot has happened in. She could remember the first time she had that Kamiya girl here to teach the poor child how to cook. What a mess she had made, but at least Tokio had Eiji and baby Tsutomu laughing. A long year has passed since the troubling times of the Shishio battle and every day everyone grows more and more.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
At the Kamiya Dojo  
  
* * * * * *  
  
SMACK!  
  
"ITAI! Hey that hurt ugly!"  
  
Kaoru stood back, her bokken held in front of the now angry Yahiko. What a stubborn little boy he was, when he is in true danger he'll take up the Kamiya Kasshin style and when he isn't he says he'd rather be taught under Kenshin. She couldn't help it but hit him as hard as possible without hitting him non-stop. Taking a deep breath Kaoru finally eased her straining body; her black hair tied up tightly in a high ponytail.  
  
"Yahiko, stop whining and pick up your shinai."  
  
"Right!"  
  
Immediately he grabbed his bamboo sword and swung it in front of himself, his right foot stepping in front to balance his stance. His deep childlike brown eyes seeming serious just like before, his grip on the shinai tightened and he threw it up above his head to come smacking down on his assistant master's bokken.  
  
SMACK! What a horrible attempt, and Yahiko stumbles forward as a huge bump hit appears at the back of his head.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Well, it seems Yahiko is training really hard today." Said Kenshin as he pursued the usual task of doing the always-white laundry ::Hey you have to admit that everytime Kenshin does laundry its always white::. A sweet smile crossed his face and began to remember the days when Yahiko absolutely refused to be trained under an ugly girl.  
  
'Wait come to think of it, he still doesn't want to be trained under Miss Kaoru.'  
  
Sano sat on the spotless clean engawa, his rooster-like features brightened in the sun. He crossed his arms and stared over at the rumbling dojo.  
  
"Yeah but Kenshin I thought that he always trains hard, even if he's being trained by the Missy."  
  
"Well you certainly have a good point there Sano."  
  
A silent breeze drifted by them both, their hair and clothing both rustled in the wind. It had only been a few days after Enishi was defeated, everything had returned to normal or at least that is what it seemed. He had a nagging thought in the back of his mind that something of some great importance is going to happen. Last time he felt like this was when Saitou was trying to make his presence known. But as far as the Shinsengumi goes, only Hajime Saitou, the captain of the third squad of the Shinsengumi, has survived these long years of the Meiji. Kenshin had long since stopped from washing away the entire dirt and grime on the clothing and now stared off into nothingness.  
  
"Hey Kenshin what's the matter?"  
  
Kenshin knocked himself back into reality, shook his head at looked back at the curious Sanosuke that sat behind him on the engawa.  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A hour out of Tokyo at an abandoned hospital  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Cherry blossoms, the gorgeous flushed pink of the pedals. They always seemed to calm his inner longing for happiness and meaning. Life, everything was alive and moving. The birds flew and chirped with songs of love and the river roared for it wants to be acknowledged. Eleven years ago, the bank of that raging river found him, half-dead and half-alive. Now it wouldn't be long before he himself would be leaving for a new life, a life that was desperately waiting for him to return.  
  
Okita sat with a fake smile that seemed to always cross his paled face. He blinked softly to rid away with all the dryness in his eyes. With a sharp and painful flash, the face of an engaging young woman shot through his mind eye. His hand shot up to his temple and pressed down, her face wouldn't disappear, staying only to pain his body. This woman's girlish laugh echoed throughout his mind, straying cherry blossoms caught up in her loosely hanging black hair. Two worn out feathers straggling to the side of her head.  
  
"Itai...Who is she?"  
  
Oh, did his head ever so hurt, her presence seemed to strike him down with her sunny gaze. This same nightmare or maybe memory had been with him for a few days now. Another flash came and attacked Okita once more.  
  
"No, please stop!"  
  
A shrilling scream pounded another headache in his skull; a red fluid blurred his vision. Dripping sounds were silently heard, and there, now on the bloodstained ground, laid that same woman, whose eyes now showed no emotion, no fear, but just the look of death. The engaging young woman's hair lay spread out around her, a deep slash went in through her chest, blood seeming never to stop its restless flowing. Her mangled body, her blood, all over the cherry blossoms that she once danced in.  
  
At the same time, Okita felt like someone was choking him, not releasing the grip around his neck. He abruptly took a large quantity of air, filling his damaged lungs with the vital oxygen that his body desperately needed only to be choked on. A horribly wet cough came from the now shaking mans body, footsteps now stomping the dusty porch that he sat on. 'I need some medicine, now!'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Aiko, could you go out into the marketplace and get me some tofu."  
  
The voice may have seemed small and frail, but Aiko could clearly hear it. It had broken the dragging silence that she had grown up around. Without saying another word, she walked over to the end of the floor to where her shoes lay and slowly and precisely slipped on the slippers. Her right arm rose from her side to pick up her bag of money, gripped it and gently opened the rice paper door that kept her from the outside world that she so feared.  
  
(What is it General Kondo?)  
  
(We're leaving for Kyoto tomorrow, tell your troops to get ready.)  
  
So long ago had that happened, and even yet her heart felt horror of losing the closest thing to her. The streets of Tokyo were busy as usual, people wondering around the markets and some just out for a stroll. Had they been in Kyoto in the past at the time....no, she wouldn't think about it. 'Okita.'  
  
Stop thinking Aiko, be a lady like father wanted you to be...  
  
Her hand rose to the sacred necklace wrapped around her neck, a jewel, and the only thing that connects her to her mother, Maemi. 'Okita, dear Okita, I wish you could come back to me as if nothing had ever happened.'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"His fever seems to have gone down, but, that's impossible."  
  
The doctor shot back in disbelief, his hands held up in the air as if supported by an invisible entity. It had only been a few minutes ago when Okita had an ever so high fever and now if remarkably went down without any struggling at all. 'Maybe he is getting better?'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Stop it Aiko that will never happen....never.  
  
Her hand released the now sweaty jewel that hung from her neck.  
  
"After all, he did disappear during battle."  
  
'KAMI! WHY CAN'T I STOP THINKING OF HIM!'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
His body was no longer tense, but was feeling actually loose, as if what all had happened in the past had disappeared into nothingness. He could breath, not just short slight breaths, but deep and refreshing gasps of air. The old wrinkled doctor couldn't believe his eyes, the man that had one choice in life which was death was actually getting better in his illness. This man most likely had a guardian angel looking after him, keeping him alive to see the strange kindness of the Meiji era.  
  
He handed a large packet to Okita, beholding many medicines for the thirty- five-year old man to take to make sure his illness is rid of. A smile that Okita had once wore during the Bakumatsu had long ago disappeared. With a straw hat and very old clothing that the old doctor used to wear, Okita was to go off to a life that was patiently waiting for him. Nodding to the elder, he started off down the old road. He had gotten at least five steps away from the dressed in white man before he called out his name.  
  
"Wait Okita Soushi, there is still something I have yet to give you."  
  
Okita stopped and looked back, his face clearly said everything that was on his mind, 'More medicine?' There he stood feeling the slight breeze go by him, his clothing floating and tugging at his body. The man had left for the inside of the hospital only a few minutes ago, and surely Okita was in no hurry to return to a world that had proclaimed him dead.  
  
'Maybe, when the winds of time stops, I will be able to see someone from the past.'  
  
Almost noiseless footsteps were heard and out of the corner came the doctor, and in his hands, he held a sheath that in the past Okita had worn in the Shinsengumi. But a hilt was sticking out of the sheath, had the old man found his sword, Kikuichi monji norimune. He slowly handed it to Okita, and Okita held out his hand left hand calmly.  
  
"I have found you a sword to be placed in your sheath, though it is not your own it will be as reliable as any other sword. Since you are a samurai, I thought is necessary that you have a sword even in this era when swords are no longer allowed on the streets of Japan."  
  
He looked up at his caretaker and gently smiled.  
  
"You do outdo yourself. I thank you Doctor."  
  
"No need of thanks, Okita, just live a new life without so much blood shed."  
  
Both bowed to each other and Okita soon made a gap between the past and the future. Walking over the fallen blossoms that were full of life, the ground making the same familiar crunching sound under his feet. His head stayed tilted forward to keep the passing light out of his face that now began to regain its normal human color. Everything was no longer swirling in a distance, he was able to walk up to the far away destination of Tokyo. This was it; he was leaving a place of segregation to another place of solitude, unable to live in a moldy, old hospital. He had to admit, he did like the thought of leaving that place, and it was starting to smell like death itself swept over the place. A small smile crossed Okita's face.  
  
'Oh how Saitou-san would agree with me on that account.'  
  
Drip.  
  
'Oh great is it going to rain?' (Inca_dove: insert Rurouni Kenshin).  
  
The wetness of the drop soaked right into his sleeve, yes, very likely it would rain. Okita stopped in his tracks and stared up at the sky. Dark clouds in the distance stirred, winding around each other, packing to make a large collection of watery dampness. Those times in the past, when it was also raining was always a predicament that bad fortune was coming, and always it was right.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"AH! Oh no, auntie Tokio I think it might rain!" Eiji yelled from behind the house, stomping footsteps and panting could be well heard. Still, Aiko had not returned, maybe she took a detour; even so she still should've saw the rain clouds. Tokio walked over to the shoji and opened it carefully; surely enough there in the distance were some storm clouds. Her deep yellowish brown eyes searching the sky well, seeing slight movements and changes in the cloud formations. Without any notice, Tsutomu had walked right behind her.  
  
"Mom."  
  
The slightly squeakiness of the child's still growing voice startled her and Tokio turned around quickly. Tsutomu, Hajime's and Tokio's first-born son was only one year old, but his hair would soon need to be cut. If it continued to grow he'd have to wear it in a ponytail. He grabbed his mother's kimono and tugged on it, his eyes big and wide like any innocent child's would. She kneeled down in front of her son, his eyes followed her as she bent down and smiled at him.  
  
"Are you hungry Tsutomu?"  
  
"Hungy."  
  
She then put her hands under his arms and picked him up to rest him on her hip. Wrapping her left arm around the young baby, Tokio continued to the kitchen to prepare the still cooking food.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"NANI?! Why didn't I see the clouds coming before?"  
  
Panting, Aiko ran as fast as she possibly could in her now damp kimono. Not even an umbrella to cover her head, she'll end up with a cold if she continues in the rain like this. The tofu held tightly against the woman's chest, she had altogether forgotten it was even there. Then, as if something had came by her and pushed her over, she fell. The tofu flew out of the wooden basket and fell in pieces in front of her. She had fallen face forward, landed on her left hand and now soaking in the mushy ground under her.  
  
Aiko pushed herself off the ground and tried to catch the air that had left her when she had fallen. Her body shook ferociously, mud slightly splattered on her face. A slight laugh came from one of the people in the restaurants, probably laughing at her, making fun of her. No, she wouldn't turn to look at the dumb bastard that laughed at her. Standing up, calmly but shakily walked over to the wooden basket and picked it up.  
  
"You're so reckless you know that."  
  
Aiko's mind clicked a thought of Okita thundered through her mind.  
  
(How can you be so reckless?)  
  
Her dark brown eyes grew wide, her heart seemed to stop and her mind went blank. Aiko quickly stood and whirled around, in one of the shoji's stood a man. His smile, that smile was the same, his eyes were also the same. Had Okita lived that night from his fall? He leanned against the wall and laughed at her, his arms crossed over his chest and on his hip....was a sword?  
  
"Okita."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: Hey I'm doing pretty good so far, and its before January that I update this chapter. Wow, I am amazed. Cliffhangers don't you just love them, leave the reader at an instant "What that's all to the chapter!" Why yes this time it is. Insert evil laugh :: BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!:: Alrighty then, I thank you guys for telling me that Aiko is not a mary sue, but mostly a original character. I bow to you all....NOW GROVEL BEFORE ME BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :Glomp:  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next Chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
HAH! It is secret it is safe! No telly!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Character notes  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko Isami: I can slightly relate myself to this character...if none of you noticed, Aiko wears a mask to hide herself now-a-days. In this chapter, you can't really make out her personality, and that's the point. But you will start to understand her in later chapters. This woman is at least 24 years old now and has never loved a single person. She feels a deep sorrow for the world and still has yet to find her purpose to stay among the living. But what did take her so long to get some tofu? I think I might've screwed up on her name in the last chapter, its not kindness its beloved one.  
  
Okita Soushi: Poor, poor Okita, what a horrible sickness you bear both in your lungs and your mind. The wonderful headache that he had is going to be more detailed in later chapters. Alrighty, Okita in the beginning of the chap. had swallowed so much water and coughed up so much blood that he got amnesia. No Okita is not going to die anytime soon, if he was then why would I write the story ne?  
  
Hajime Saitou: Um..hehe..Sorry Angrybee, I really meant to put more Saitou in the chapter, teehee, GLOMP! ::Raises eyebrow:: I wonder why he won't be able to get any sleep, ne? But wow, who would ever think that he would have such a big family! O.O  
  
Tokio Saitou: Still trying to figure her out....  
  
Tsutomu Saitou: Kay, everyone, Tsutomu is going to turn out like his father, except for the fact he won't kill anyone...erm at least I hope he won't. I can see it now "TSUTOMU THE ONE-YEAR OLD KILLER!" .....no. Oh he's so cute, all one year olds are cute until they hit terrible twos, ah damn.  
  
Eiji Saitou: Eiji, I want him to have the same personality as he had in RK. So, be expecting arguing from this little boy.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Special thanks to...well...the three people who reviewed.  
  
AngryBee: When I told my sisters that you actually reviewed they REALLY NEARLY glomped me. They love your stories, though I didn't tell them my secret on having people like you ask..maybe I'll tell them later...someday...in another life. HEHEHEHEHE!  
  
Inca_dove: BAKA DENSAI this is my story not yours, also you didn't want to beta-read my story so you shouldn't complain. :P Anyways thank you for reviewing and I will try my hardest NOT to leave out COMA'S.  
  
CeeCee: Oh Arigato CeeCee, you are so kind, ::Face becomes evil:: Yes torture your reviewers and spread the word about my story BWAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ::cough:: I've done to much laughing today that I have. I wonder when ChocoBerry is going to update her story on Changes in Friendship, I hope soon, I wanna read more Okita FanFiction. There's just to little of it!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Vocabulary  
  
* * * * * *  
  
So Ka: Is that so?  
  
Nani: What  
  
Itai: Ow or how I like it OWIE!  
  
Shinai: Bamboo sword for apprentices  
  
Teishu: Husband  
  
Aa: yeah  
  
Kami: God  
  
Fanfic by ione_girl 


	3. Chapter 2: Two White Feathers

AN: Alrighty then, I think people who like Okita are going to like this chap. Saitou I really don't know about him or Tokio so if people can give me details on how this two act feel free and tell me with your reviews. If people are expecting fluffs for this chapter you guys better be thinking again. Oh and by the way, if people are wondering how I go by the types of animations such as anime or OAV's then it's the OAV's cause I like the way that the people are drawn. There now that that's out of my system please read and review THANK YOU!  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah you guys got the picture I don't own RK or Samurai X (sniff, sniff) but I wish I did!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 2: Two White Feathers  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'I'm competing against a memory, something I can and will not do. My heart drops wearily, from the love I feel for you. It's what she is and who she is, that drives me far away. It's how she is and where she is, that torments me night and day. She is with us from sunup to sundown, yet you claim to be free. She's turned my world upside down, so why can't you see. I'm competing against a memory, something I can and will not do. My head drops wearily, from the love I feel for you.' - April Zumwalt  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okita Soushi - 35  
  
Aiko Isami - 24  
  
(I just needed to get that also out of my system sorry AngryBee for doing it like you GOMEN!)  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Her eyes dazzled in the hard pouring rain as many unanswered questions went through her mind. Was Okita truly alive? Could he be the man that should in front of her shocked? Her hair had long become wet and now stuck to her face and shoulders. The once full tofu now laying in pieces in the muddy street. The man in front of her looked surprised, yet he stayed in the door to keep dry.  
  
He calmly replied, "How did you ma'am know my name?"  
  
Aiko's deep brown eyes grew wide; her legs wanted her to move but somehow stayed in that one unnerving position. Okita just stood there and before long smiled and shook his head. Out from behind him was his umbrella that he had just bought, and he pulled it out and opened it to walk outside to get to her. She was soaked and would more then likely come down with a fever or a cold. As he walked over to her he could tell that her knee's were about to give out. How he could tell this was how her kimono stuck to her body.  
  
"It seems you're in need of assistance, may I help you get home?"  
  
Okita held out his hand to Aiko who for a long time hadn't stopped eye contact with him. Finally, her eyes softened and looked down at his now wet hand. As a proper lady, she would do what he asked her to do but this was Okita, how could she? Aiko just merely nodded and walked closer to him so that they could share the umbrella. Never in her whole lifetime would she have thought about walking this close to Okita, her childhood friend. His hair was that about the only different thing about him, it wasn't long like an ex-samurai's was and she doubted that he was part of the police department. No, his hair was cut, and at least an inch of hair remained on his head.  
  
"Are you really Okita Soushi?"  
  
Okita stopped, she also knew his last name? Who was this girl? He looked to his side to find the woman clutching to him so that she could also be under the white umbrella. He had to smile; she was just like a child holding onto her mother.  
  
"Yes, I am, but one must wonder how you knew my name?"  
  
Aiko looked up at the smiling Okita who was also looking back at her. His face hadn't changed; it was as if he found the fountain of youth. She held her now clamped hand to her chin and took a glance of the road in front of them, they would be getting close to the house now and when they got there, Aiko would try and get Saitou to see if she isn't just imagining this whole thing.  
  
"Does the name Aiko Isami come to mind?"  
  
He looked kind of confused when he was asked that, he looked up to the sky and slightly squinted his eyes.  
  
Aiko Isami? It doesn't come to mind...  
  
"I don't know I'll have to think about."  
  
Total shock and loneliness struck Aiko's body, though she kept moving she could've sworn that she wasn't moving at all. She had to get back to the house and soon, she needed more information. Was this really the Okita she had known so long ago? This man probably stole his name and is using it for an alias, but she can't accuse him yet until she is perfectly sure who he is.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The rain, a wondrous gift from the heavens above, dripping down onto a growing new but old world, how could someone possibly hate such a thing? Rain falling and splattering on the ground, leaving small droplets of what once was. Giving the planets water and nutrients to begin another life cycle of leaves and flowers. How could someone see rain as the illusion of blood? She just didn't understand it she just didn't understand Aiko.  
  
There Tokio stood on the clean maple brown engawa, her eyes kept on the passing raindrops and her ears listened to the soft sounds of the taps of water which fell on their small house. For only a few years she has stayed here to live, but then again so many years she has been without home or family.  
  
She must've been very lonely...  
  
Suddenly, movement in the foggy haze began to appear, starting out black but then beginning to show color. An umbrella could be clearly seen on top of the figure and as far as Tokio knew Aiko had only left with her purse. Tokio peered down the road, slightly leaning forward on her toes to have a better look, a face she could clearly distinguish between all other became visible, and it was Aiko. She could tell that the poor girl was soaked to the bone and there right beside her was a gentleman about her height. He seemed kind, especially helping someone that he didn't even know.  
  
He wore a dark blue haori and gray hakama's, one of his arms were nicely tucked into his sleeve and something about his face was a little frightening. His smile was fake, deep and sorrowful and full of despair, more then likely someone who desperately needed someone to be with.  
  
"Aiko you've returned....a little wet are we?" Tokio explained happily, calmly moving herself into a decent sitting position. Aiko returned through the gates without a word and the young man about the age of nineteen followed her through. Tokio couldn't help but to smile about this, this was a strange position to be in.  
  
'How strange no young men ever come home with Aiko in the rain. Actually, she was never out in the rain in the first place.'  
  
When Aiko came to the engawa, she immediately started to sneeze. A cold had kicked into her immunity system. Tokio patted the porch of her house gesturing both of them to come and sit down, after all it was raining. Aiko quickly excepted and came to sit down by Tokio while the other stood with a puzzled face on. Never had he been asked by a stranger to come and sit down by them, maybe the older woman wanted to thank him for taking this girl Aiko home with....  
  
'Oh.'  
  
Suddenly, he could feel himself shrink into a smaller person, why exactly did he do that why did he walk her home? Without thinking he walked outside to her to help her home.  
  
"Young man."  
  
'Oh Kami-sama here it comes..'  
  
"I thank you for bringing Aiko back to our home, I was starting to worry for her."  
  
'Erm...okay..'  
  
Tokio wrapped her arm around Aiko's shoulders to stop her instant shuddering, but something about this older woman caught him off guard...it was a scar on her hand and it seemed to go up further under her clothing.  
  
"A towel."  
  
This short and brief sentence brought Tokio off-quard, but without pause the man walked closer to the engawa, took off his sandals and taking a step onto the porch later shook his umbrella to get off all the excess water that had collected.  
  
"She'll need something to dry her off, I suggest new clothing would be much better."  
  
Tokio gave a warm smile, the young man was nice and smart as well. He showed great concern for Aiko when she began to sneeze and shudder some more.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
Aiko froze, if Saitou heard what was happening outside at this moment, he wouldn't be any to pleased to hear it. Her hands folded over mouth and waited to his reply. Sure enough the reply came quickly, but at least Tokio never really knew of Okita.  
  
"It is Okita Soushi." Ruffled papers were soon heard in the background.  
  
'Oh Kami-sama he did hear.."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'Who did that quy say he was?!'  
  
::twitch, twitch::  
  
Saitou couldn't believe this; some one was trying to make a mockery out of his friend's name. Papers lay spread out from their recent falling, a great mess is what Tokio would say but right now he didn't care. His head turned to the shoji having his bangs fly around with him. Slowly but sternly he approached the rice-papered door and slammed it open.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Both Aiko and Tokio jumped from the sudden sound of a slamming shoji just from down the hall, but their eyes still remained on Okita as he smiled.  
  
"My have I been introducing myself a lot lately."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
'Here we go...'  
  
Saitou's tall figure appeared from the darkened hallway as he walked closer to the three-personed-group in front of him. He finally stood in the light where his figure could be seen very well. Both his amber eyes and Okita's brown eyes not leaving each other. Okita could feel the intensity of his stare, he just wanted to shrivel up and die under it. Who or rather what was this guy?  
  
Soon a sharp and painful headache struck his head, the exact same kind when he saw that woman; his stare jerked away as well did his body. His hands went up to his temples, he felt like his head was going to explode right then and there. Okita could feel a gentle hand touch his shoulder, except that gentle hand was grabbing him trying to pull him up, yet he hadn't noticed that he was falling. The woman that was in front of him yanking him back up was...that woman from the dream? Just then, everything went pitch black and soon he fell into unconsciousness.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko yanked one more time to pull the man's body off the muddy ground; his sword that was held around his hip had fallen also to the muddied ground. Saitou walked over and grabbed the front of the man's haori pulling him up steadily. He soon noticed something very awkward, this man who claimed himself to be Okita wasn't as light as normal amateurs are, he could tell that this man was heavy and small meaning that he had gained some muscle.  
  
'Can he really be?'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
August 3, 1865  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Okita-san! Come quick! Aiko is about to be picked on from some men in the street!"  
  
Okita's gaze turned away from his squad who were pleading their captain for him to let them go to the Red District. His concentrated gaze soon fell upon the frantic five year old Takara who fell right in the middle of the courtyard. The men and Okita's hands soon snapped upwards, but before anything was done Okita quickly walked over to her and kneeled down beside her. When he managed to help her off the ground sure enough, tears were started to boil up in her sweet little eyes.  
  
"Please Takara don't cry, there's no need to cry." Panicked Okita Soushi who now wore the face of utter distress. The men who were behind him though felt as if they were being ignored and some probably had some narrowed red eyes, but yet they were thankful that their captain was trying to do something to make sure that an ever so painful scream didn't break out.  
  
More horrible sniffs were heard from the child as he desperately searched for any scratches or bruises that had been made on her still soft skin. Takara pouted some more as the twenty-one year old man sighed in relief as he finally found that she had no injuries. Okita just simply smiled and patted her head; he had to admit that in an era like this she seemed to be a light of the next one. Takara's hand flew up to slap his off her head, if anything she hated being patted on the head like some animal.  
  
Everyone laughed in the courtyard, some laughter was actually good for the group, and to release some of the tension that had arose in the last few days. Takara was not going to grow up to be a regular woman that much was for sure.  
  
"Soushi, I need to speak to you."  
  
Okita looked up to find Captain Saitou standing in the rice-paper doorway. His light blue and white uniform kept together by a white strap at the waist. Okita's squad quickly silenced themselves from their continuous laughter when the voice spoke. They all knew better not to speak while Captain Saitou was around. Takara just looked at them like they were all complete idiots, why were they scared of Saitou-san?  
  
"What's wrong with you guys?"  
  
The men who were at one time groveling before their captain now fell into the ground. (Or rather how I like it this is known as ::anime drop:: hehe) Had the little girl figured out yet that Captain Saitou was -extremely- dangerous, after all wasn't it only a day ago when he accidentally hit her. Nonetheless, it was a funny sight to see the captain scared for his life when the child started crying her hardest, scared because he might've angered General Kondo for hurting his youngest daughter.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"What is it Saitou-san?" Okita calmly said as he closed the door behind him. Saitou plopped down by the wall and merely stared up at his friend.  
  
"Nothing, I just thought I might help you get out of that situation."  
  
'Do I look like someone who really needs help..' Okita thought, his face turning slightly annoyed but soon replacing it with a happier one. He turned around to crack open the shoji, looking outside to see the wonderful summer day that glittered with life. The Sakura tree's though were beginning to turn brown, beginning with life and soon dying and leaving the world to start anew.  
  
"Was that all?"  
  
"Actually, there is something I need to tell you about."  
  
Finally catching his attention, Okita turned around to face the captain of the third squad. He hadn't been able to talk to Saitou in the last couple of days because of the missions Saitou was acquired but he could tell that what he wanted to tell him wasn't going to be easy.  
  
"You ever hear about the village close to Edo called Shirakawa?"  
  
Okita jerked back and swiftly turned around to look upon his friend's face that was now looking upon him. The look of total fear swept over his face and his hands stayed loose not to make his partner curious of his actions. His bangs slightly shadowed his eyes and he could feel the tension wearing up in his throat.  
  
(A strong light flashed, and a face of the woman reappeared into his head.)  
  
"So you have I am guessing, anywise the Inshin Shishi are planning to attack the people there, why? I have no idea?"  
  
Okita's vision blurred and he fell violently to the floor, nothing moved, not his friend, everything went completely red and he could feel himself lose against his illness or was it his illness.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A muscle went tense in his stomach and suddenly he felt himself thrust forward on a bed.  
  
A bed?  
  
He looked down at his hand that was clutching the futon with great strength his body was shaking terribly and he could feel himself slowly loosening up. He exhaled softly and retracted his gaze to the wall, where was he? A shadow gracefully walked up to his door, and he watched it move just as gracefully before, but casually opened the shoji from the side of him.  
  
As the sun poured into the darkened room, a dark figure appeared from the other side starting out as a blur but slowly making its way to clearness. As his eyes adjusted to the light he could only slightly see the figure but an instant flash made his left eye shut, but his right stayed open to look upon the person. Her hair hung to her shoulders and he could've sworn to see two feathers to the side of her head, just like...she looked just like the woman who he seemed to see in his dreams. The phantom that always struck pain down upon him, he could never turn away from this dream, it just wasn't in his nature to do so.  
  
"I see you are doing much better."  
  
The girl stepped in and sat down by him, her hair held long strands of ebony and her eyes a deep brown. Her kimono seemed to be made out of cotton, purple with little cherry blossoms on her sleeves. Tilting her head she looked more closely at his face, he even had Saitou confused and looking over about it.  
  
"I still would like how you know my name."  
  
Okita's head turned towards her, not even a grin or a smile he passed to her just a look of complete confusion. His bangs seemed to be covering his eyes a little so she brought up her hand to slightly move them away but when she touched his skin it felt as if she had touched a clam. He was seemed to have been sweating over the night, so he must've had a fever.  
  
When her soft hand came to wipe the bangs out of his eyes he was completely comeback by the sudden when he lifted it more to also feel his forehead. He tried to make eye contact with the girl but everytime he did so she would turn away and look and something else in the room. It was as if the girl couldn't stand looking in his eyes.  
  
"Okita Soushi is what you call yourself." Okita nodded and kept on listening, "At least eleven years ago a man that also went by that name was a member of the Shinsengumi. And not just a member he was the Captain of the First Squad of the Shinsengumi."  
  
"How do you know all this?"  
  
Her voice cracked, no she couldn't do it she couldn't say who he really was and say how he used to take care of her when father wasn't around.  
  
"Be...because...I am the daughter of the leader of the Shinsengumi." Aiko calmly turned her head to see his face, a face that had become paler then in the past. Was he dying? Also his smile he had worn even through the toughest of times was gone, she couldn't bear to look at him like this, not like this.  
  
Aiko stood up from her sitting place by his bedside and whirled around to face the tan-colored rice paper door that was in front of her. One more glance, she couldn't see his expression on his face but she probably knew it. Hopefully with the things she has told him, he'll start to remember or so Aiko hoped.  
  
"You need to get some rest Okita."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okita grabbed the blanket harder, and a flash of a little girl with a bokken came into view for a split second. Grinding down on his teeth he searched for more answers in the far back of his mind. There was no doubt that he was Okita Soushi, the Captain of the First Squad of the Shinsengumi, but why did it seem that he heart was being broken all at the same time.  
  
(Run Soujiro!)  
  
The shrieking woman's voice captured his mind again and he strained to stay awake. Who was this woman that I keep seeing when I'm asleep and awake, why is she tormenting me like this? Okita's right hand flew to his head, the same horrible throbbing motion happened once again. He fell back onto the futon tossing and rolling to get the horrible headache away from him at once, but just as soon as it went away Okita fell back asleep again.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Laughter, a woman's laughter filled the open space, feeding upon the air as if it were food. The warm breeze drifted about the fields that were covered with plants of Daikon radish and other foods which farmers needed. The sun was still above the silhouetted mountains that rose high to the sky. Five farmhouses scattered about the plains; not a single one of them didn't know each other. There, sitting on an engawa playing with a top and string was a small boy about the age of six. His short black hair tied up in a low ponytail; some strands of hair still danced around the boy's face.  
  
Sitting right next to him was a girl, no doubt a close relation to him. Her paled pink kimono shifted and swayed with every movement she made. Her long brown hair hung down over her shoulders, just like her kimono it silently moved constantly. Both the child and girl laughed endlessly like a fairy tale that was being told over and over again. The little boy looked up at his sister with such a grand smile, his eyes tightly closed and his smile was one of true happiness. She slightly grabbed the top and began to twist the string around it, doing it ever so carefully so that the other could watch with great admiration. Then, when it was all done, she grabbed the end of the string and pulled on it fast and effectively.  
  
"Watch it turn my dear little brother, it is like this farm, every year the farm plants die and then they grow once more, it is a cycle of life do keep that in mind Soujiro."  
  
The red and purple top slowed itself down and toppled over onto the engawa making its way over to the side. Soujiro gave a panicked scream and yelled for it to come back but soon got up and grabbed it from its parked spot. Footsteps stomped the ground and before both of them had known, rebels from Edo had came stomping to the front of the broken down farmhouse. The girl tugged on Soujiro and wrapped her arms around him to keep him safe. The men in front of them looked no more but regular men, such as farmers and apothecary's.  
  
"You must be the young orphans that want to keep the Tokogawa government from collapsing. You two are fools for wanting such a corrupted government like this one!" The man quickly drew his steel katana and wielded it in front of him. Another man stepped up and also drew his katana.  
  
"All who wish for a government like this to stand must be corrupted by the devil himself, so we have no choice but to show you both the true greatness that we rebels possess."  
  
Soujiro shook with great fright, his hands holding onto his sister's kimono. His bottom lip quivered as his eyes widened when the men cast their swords above their heads only to thrust it upon his sister's body. Suddenly, he could feel his body lift from the ground and the arms that were around him tightened even more. He looked up at her face only to see tears coming down her cheeks. She was running away from them but to where he did not know.  
  
The men ran after her as she ran away from them, they could clearly see her hair swaying from side to side as she ran, and in the tangled mess of hair were to long white dove feathers. They ran only twenty feet behind her, their swords kept to their sides for an easier way to run. The metals glistened with the light of the stars and it passed by the weeds and some trees.  
  
The girl's heartbeat could probably be heard from over miles of farmland and her breathing had changed. Soujiro started to begin feeling her scared heart, not knowing if they were going to make it he clung to his sister for his dear life. Then, as if the world had stopped, his sister slowed her pace but only one thing lay in her mind, the life of her dear little brother. High bushes and tall trees surrounded them when finally Soujiro knew what his sister was trying to do. Her breathing was unchanging, still deep pants of air was being consumed.  
  
Her arm reached for something behind him, and before he knew it he was being thrown into a long dark hole. His sister soon disappeared out of sight, and he too was consumed by the darkness of the night. He didn't want her to go so he pushed himself up but before he could do anything, before he could go out and find his sister he hit his head on something rough, clearly knocking himself back to the moist ground. The dark pit that had nothing but the smell of moist earth surrounded his senses and soon fell unconscience.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The boy opened his eyes only to find himself in a dark pit, the only light that was illuminating the hole was a crack in front of him, and morning had risen. This time, learning from his last experience he carefully pushed himself off the ground and crawled to the crack and peeked out of it. Nothing was there, it was then when Soujiro panicked, his sister did not come for him. He sat back and kicked at the area, which beheld the crack. Nothing happened, then he kicked it again making a loud thumping noise echoing in his small ears. This time a larger crack appeared, and Soujiro hit in the same place once more and now the crack became a large enough hole for him to get out.  
  
Squeezing through the area Soujiro could see the footsteps of the men chasing him and his sister last night. He stepped out and stared at the trees, it was all so quiet. Soujiro breathed in and out as if he knew what had happened to his sister and he was going to cry. He began to run out of the open of the trees back to the farmland. His legs pushing him back home, tree branches and weeds snipping at him and his already dirty and torn clothes. His hand flew up to knock a branch out of the way, scratching his face in the process.  
  
Finally he made back to the farmland but did not see in front of him, no Soujiro was more concerned with getting his breath back, his hands gripped his pained knees and his eyes stayed forcefully shut. Straightening up Soujiro took another deep gasp of air, and opened his eyes to see the villagers crowded around something. He didn't care right now about some dead animal he just wanted to find his sister. Running back to his house he jumped on the engawa and slammed the shoji opened, but instead of finding his sister he a little white envelope on the green and brown floor.  
  
He walked in and grabbed the envelope on the floor and carefully opened it, inside it was two long white feathers and a note. He quickly opened the note, cutting himself with the paper but he didn't care and read what was inside.  
  
'Your sisters corpse now lays where the sun may look upon it.'  
  
Slowly, but surely the note fell to the floor and along with it the two white feathers that his sister wore in her hair. His teeth gritted against each other and tears fell down his dirt-crusted face, he ran outside to see the scene more clearly on the farmland. The farmers though were blocking the way making it harder for him to see. Soujiro leaped off the engawa and ran to the other villagers, his sister couldn't be dead, they were just lying. He pushed an adult aside only to find the horror the note had said. There lying down with her dull eyes opened and her right hand in front of her face, three slashes were made upon her body.  
  
"Nariko."  
  
He looked up to see the sickened villagers as they stared at the body of the young girl who acted like a mother to Soujiro. Some had their sleeves covering their mouths and noses and some stood there completely astonished. His sister, Nariko, was killed because of the beliefs of the dimwitted men who wish nothing more but an even more hated nation. His fists stayed clamped tight and a look of utter hatred swept over the six-year-old boy. If only he were older and were training in a dojo then he would have been strong enough for his sister to live.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: What a horrible chapter for Okita ne? Still not that much of Saitou nor of erm well just Saitou I guess. HEHE!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next Chapter:  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Will Okita finally remember the people around him and his past that was with the Shinsengumi? Will he finally realize that he was an important person in someone's life find out in the next Chapter of Where Are You Now?!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Character Notes  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko Isami: We're a little confused aren't we?  
  
Okita Soushi: I guess it's really hard making yourself remember things ne?  
  
Tokio Saitou: ..Well, I got more of Tokio in this chap but at least we can tell that Tokio is a kind and warm loving person..(insert Misao: Yeah she must be Buddha in order to be his wife)  
  
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Reviews  
  
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YAY!!! I got one more faithful reviewer or so I hope!  
  
CeeCee: Oh so u like Sesshomaru eh? I used to like him I was even starting a story on him and Rin but then I heard of this things called replays of RK and I watched them it was the one where Saitou finally comes in with Okita.. And then I started to watch the OAV's and now I only watch parts with Okita in them so yeah I quess I kinda got hooked off inuyasha and went for Samurai X. LE PURRR OKITA-SAMA I grovel before you! I course though, I'd never want Okita to die..I sware I am not that mean after all he did look a little sad and the end of Samurai X so why not make it look like he's happy for once ne?  
  
Kagome-angel2000: WOO-HOO thank you so much for reading my story, READ SOME MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! Sorry I'm a little hyped up right now TEEHEE!  
  
Inca_dove: Of course I'd belittle you, you're my sister what else am I supposed to do? It's sad you're older then me and yet you honestly can't wait for my chapter. LOL! Yes I know I am all so great and noble like wolves...WOLVES OF MIBU BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Yeah that line was a little ironic "It's gonna rain, it's gonna rain.chao!" TEEHEE  
  
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Fanfic by ione_girl 


	4. Chapter 3: Memories Somewhat Fulfilled

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah we all know that Samurai X and Rurouni Kenshin are mine BWAHAHAHAHAHA they're mine, mine, mine, mine, mine! MINE! *Glomps herself*  
  
AN: I have a lot of talking but barely no writing in this chap so please bear with me on my horrible writer's block.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 3: Memories Somewhat Fulfilled  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"I look into your eyes, do you know what I see? Secrets and lies, is all there will ever be. I look into your mind; do you know what is there? The stories I find, they were never fair. I look into your soul; do you know what you hide? Not but blackened coal, withering inside." -Shana Tout  
  
* * * * * *  
  
April 24, 1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Ah man, still I got no luck and because of that no money either."  
  
Sanosuke Sagara grumbled unhappily, his hand stayed tucked in his pockets and an old skeleton of a fish dangled out of his mouth. The market place seemed to be bustling with people, millions of colors flashed by his eyes as he kept walking miserably.  
  
"Hang me upside down and you probably won't get any lint."  
  
"Seems like you have trouble getting money."  
  
The familiar voice seemed to be right behind him and all that Sano could do was grin. Katsu had snuck up right behind him through all the people. Sano stopped walking ahead of him and twisted his back a little to look behind him. There he stood with his expected clothing that he always wore and the same demonic grin he had when he found something interesting to write about. At least Katsu was happy unlike Kenshin who seemed to be searching everywhere whenever he got a horrible feeling.  
  
"You wouldn't mind hearing some new information I just found."  
  
Sano raised his eyebrows and stared at his old friend tiredly.  
  
"Oh yeah what is it Katsu?"  
  
His friend's hand pointed to the alleyway right by them, Sano agreed and continued walking to his new destination..a dark alleyway. Right behind him like before was Katsu following him, his head was slightly pointed down to make his eyes not visible. When they finally reached the alleyway, which did take them a fairly long time to reach only because of the people who were rushing up and down the streets, they leaned against separate walls so that they could face each other.  
  
"I found some disturbing information from other policemen on who was responsible for last weeks murder."  
  
Katsu pulled out a booklet of paper and inside it was a brush from his shirt, the brush he could clearly still tell that it was slightly crusted with the old ink the man had used. He handed the booklet to Sano who in return opened it to where the brush lay.  
  
"The only thing that the policemen could tell me was the symbol that was left behind on the murdered man."  
  
Sano read the word but it still confused him, he looked up his friend curiously.  
  
"Phoenix?"  
  
"Right. I checked into groups in Tokyo to find anything out but there was nobody here that knew of the word or the person who killed that man. So I went to the nearby villages around Tokyo and you know what I found."  
  
Katsu once again grabbed something from his shirt but this time it was a folded up piece of paper. He unfolded it and putted it on the book that his companion held. On it said:  
  
'Okashira Phoenix.'  
  
"So it's a signature left behind by the leader I take it."  
  
Katsu nodded and removed his grin to a more serious face, a face that Sano rarely saw except for when he and Katsu planned to attack the Meiji government. Sanosuke shut the book along with the paper inside of it and handed it back to his friend. This information would soon be told to the police and he would have to tell Kenshin of this. Could this be what is been bugging Kenshin so much?  
  
"Thanks Katsu, I'll make sure Kenshin finds out about this."  
  
"No problem."  
  
With this said Katsu and Sano both waved each other goodbye and began to walk their own paths once again.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
At the Fujita household  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The day was going on its usual and boring way, Saitou left for work and Eiji and Tsutomu went outside into the garden. Aiko on the other hand, she seemed a little different, she was actually helping Tokio with cooking. Just the other day, Aiko walked up to Tokio and asked if she could teach her how to make good meals and not just tea. Then, when Tokio can't usually find Aiko, she sometimes finds her with the sleeping porcelain doll Okita. The man hadn't woken up yet and she was beginning to worry for his sake.  
  
Tokio walked out onto the engawa to look over what Tsutomu and Eiji were doing. Eiji had out his hoe and was leaning against it as he over looked the seedlings he had just planted. Not even noticing that Tokio had came out to sit on the engawa Eiji began to tell his little watcher about a story his mother once told him. He bent down to little Tsutomu's height and held his index finger in front of his face.  
  
"Now listen to me Tsutomu, if you do something wrong with planting seeds then the ancient of earth will nag at you until you do it right. So trust me, always look over seeds when you finally plant them to see if any are poking out of the earth."  
  
Tsutomu looked a little puzzled by the story and just thought to take it seriously for once and nodded. Eiji let out a loud chuckle and looked down at his still growing stepbrother. Tokio laughed silently to herself as Eiji went on about how there was an ancient of earth and what he would do to you if you did it wrong, and in response her son would nod after every comment.  
  
"Tokio?"  
  
The silent voice slightly nerved Tokio and made her want to look behind her, there stood Aiko with her left hand holding onto the wall.  
  
"What is it Aiko?"  
  
She took a deep breath and released herself from the doorway to sit down by the older woman. Tokio smiled and watched her come to sit by her.  
  
"Did Saitou ever tell you about him..I mean Okita?"  
  
She could tell that Aiko was feeling extremely uncomfortable in this situation, she had never really opened herself up before and now she is. Tokio took a short glance over and the two boys who were now having a dirt fight and returned her gaze to Aiko who was staring at her hands in her lap.  
  
"He did, but I wasn't told anything about his relationships or anything really just about his time in the Shinsengumi."  
  
"I see."  
  
Aiko's face softened a little bit and she tried her hardest to smile at her friend, raising her head and giving only a slight grin that seemed to much full of sorrow and of pain. Tokio couldn't help but to feel sorry for the girl, here she was trying to speak about the past when it is still to hard to even talk about. She grew up with this boy Okita, and in growing up Aiko became so attached to him that she could never really let go, but then when Okita supposably died she felt that she had also died or so that was how teishu's story went.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Back over at the Kamiya Dojo  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"100 more times Yahiko, and this time put more effort into it!"  
  
"Right!"  
  
The voices just kept on coming out from inside the old dojo, but to Kenshin he couldn't even hear them. He was concentrating on this nagging feeling that something was going to happen or someone from his past was going to show up in Tokyo. Kenshin didn't feel so great, all this thinking was starting to get to him, sitting out with his sword which stayed in his arms at the moment.  
  
"Hey Kenshin!"  
  
Knocking himself back to reality, he looked back to see Sano coming towards him with a serious face. 'Sano must want me to come with him for gambling.' He stopped in front of his sitting friend, which was on the large engawa and began to sit himself.  
  
"You know that murder that happened last week, I got more information on it from Katsu."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yeah, the person that might have murdered that man was called Okashira Phoenix."  
  
"Phoenix, why whould someone call themselves Phoenix?"  
  
"That's exactly what I thought, this guy...do you think he's someone from the revolution?"  
  
Kenshin brought his hand up to his chin and stared at the wood of the engawa.  
  
"No, the word Phoenix isn't really popular in Japan because people here don't believe in fairy tales all that much."  
  
"So you're saying.."  
  
"This man, Okashira Phoenix, must be a man from China, that he must certainly be."  
  
Kenshin returned his gaze back to Sanosuke who was now looking hard at the surroundings. The man that was killing these people, he would need more information on him before he even dares to try to guess who this man can possibly be. Phoenix, the legendary bird of fire, mostly a myth known to people but then the bird had the power of life and death so stories say. The name for the bird was Ho-oo, but if this guy was Chinese then why does he wish to attack Japan? Is he trying to bring Japan into a world of chaos and hysterics?  
  
"Should we go ask the police for more news?"  
  
"I think that would be best."  
  
Kenshin and Sano both stood up, Sano bent down a little as he watched the shorter person walk by. They stopped in front of the dojo and told Kaoru and Yahiko saying that they were going out to the market for some tofu. Then, when they left the front gate, a feeling of complete fear swept of Kenshin making him look to his side to see if there was no one watching him and Sano leave. They continued to walk forward, the sun casting overhead making it hard to see shadows. There was completely no noise around them, but that of only silence. This wasn't a good feeling, why was it so quiet?  
  
* * * * * *  
  
When they got to the market place the surroundings seemed to have gotten better. People laughing, walking, and maybe even fighting with each other. The headquarters was just a few minutes ahead of them, the large building that ran with so many policemen because of the recent happenings that many people had already heard. Kenshin looked to his side to see the houses that lined up against each other.  
  
Something caught his eye almost immediately, a shadow that didn't seem right like the last time. Sano stood looking back at his paranoid friend who began to turn around. He couldn't help but to feel puzzled about how Kenshin was walking another way, looking forward to see nothing except homes and plants.  
  
"Hey Kenshin what's up?"  
  
Kenshin stopped when he reached the closest and most annoying shadow that lingered on the side of the building made with old wood. Not letting his eyes leave the spot he turned around to return to the gate of the destination that he wished to go to.  
  
"It's nothing Sano, let's go."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Right this way."  
  
One policeman, just one Kenshin could only see around the place, everyone had must've left to investigate further on something that probably happened. He wasn't tall at all, actually he was quite short and plump, a mustache and some glasses nonetheless a sour expression proved he fit the job perfectly. Unlike Kenshin, who was quite comfortable in the place, Sano was constantly looking around, seemed like he was just as paranoid as Kenshin.  
  
"Here we are."  
  
The man quietly opened the door to show a room full of papers and books maybe even newspapers, which lay onto of the man's desk. A window right behind the desk silhouetted the figure that sat behind it making it hard for Sanosuke to figure who exactly this guy was. But for Kenshin, the ki was all to familiar, the figure who sat in front of them all was the one and only former captain of the third squad of the Shinsengumi. Kenshin could also tell by the cloud of smoke surrounding the man.  
  
"So you did come after all.as well as the moron."  
  
Sano could feel his face go a burning red.  
  
'He is alive!'  
  
"Saitou, we only came here to find some information on this so called Okashira Phoenix."  
  
"I've only gotten as far as you, the only way to find out any more is perhaps find ourselves a Tokyo ninja."  
  
Kenshin's eyes grew wider, were there actually any ninja's in Tokyo. Sano was about to burst with that anger and Saitou just leaned back in his chair and looked at the document in his hands. Something seemed different about him and Kenshin could notice, there was something other that work and the Mibu wolves on his mind. It was slightly irritating when he couldn't find anything that could possibly annoy Saitou. He looked up at Kenshin's awkward face, narrowing his eyes and his hand nearly fell onto the desk.  
  
"What is it, why are you looking at me that way?"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"If you're hoping for more information then forget it, I have nothing to tell you and besides do you really think I would tell you Battousai."  
  
Before Kenshin had a chance to say anything Sano roared in.  
  
"God damn it Saitou you acted like you were going to die at Mt. Hei. Now here you are smoking that cigarette as if nothing had ever happened!"  
  
"Ahou."  
  
"What did you say!?"  
  
Kenshin put his hand in advance of Sano to stop him from tearing up all the reports that may seem useful to one extent. The same annoying ki that he was feeling hadn't left yet, it still lingered outside and from what he could tell, it was a fighter's spirit. He needed to see what was out there and without further ado Kenshin pushed his burnt up friend outside the door to leave Saitou in peace and to find out what in the world could be outside.  
  
As they began to walk outside the gates, a movement of a shadow appeared clear to the both of them that they were being followed. Kenshin grabs his sword and Sano just being Sano began to run in the direction the shadow was moving. Kenshin was sure that this person would want to try now and be in the crowds to act like a normal person so they would have to get him before he does so.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
YAY! Fujita residence  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko calmly returned to the kitchen with the heavy pot and went to the counter to set it down. Tokio gently laughed at the sight of the woman carrying it as if she were still a child. Today and maybe only today Aiko had pulled her hair up into a well-done bun. A gorgeous pin kept it all together, beads of gold and blue strangled down on a piece of string.  
  
"Tokio-san what do I do now?"  
  
She wanted to keep on helping her, not just to annoy Tokio but to finally learn. Tokio waved her hand to tell her to leave; the next step would be way to complicated for Aiko to learn just. A sudden jerk came from Aiko and she was about to disagree when she remembered, 'Tokio-san is older and knows what she is doing....it is not my place.' Aiko sighed and bowed to Tokio and left the room.  
  
A sudden shuffle came from down the hall, she couldn't help but to think that he had woke up. Aiko quickly ran down the hall until she came upon the shoji that had hardly ever opened, and she proceeded to reveal what was inside it. There he lay, just like before when she stayed by his side. His eyes still shut closed and the color was beginning to reappear, soon very soon he will wake up, but she will be there when he does. Hopefully, when he looks upon her face, he will remember who she was.  
  
She walked in leaving the shoji opened behind her, letting the stray light cascade down into the room which windows were covered by blankets due to the orders of the nearby clinic. She sat down and peered at him once more, so much like a child he looked. Still having no face hair, no appearance of being old just, who he was. (Except for the long hair)  
  
"Okita, when will you wake up?"  
  
She put her hand to his forehead, it was not burning and yet it was not frozen cold. The warmth of her hand caused a sudden twitch of his brow.  
  
"I have so many stories to tell you, some are sad but I'm assured that you can liven them up like you used to."  
  
Aiko could feel herself lower, bending face forward onto his chest.  
  
"Please Okita, wake up soon."  
  
She shut her eyes, and listened to the soft breathing of the man under her. His chest raised up and down, every time it did so her head would do the same thing. She had questioned herself so much about if this was the man that she knew or not but now. Aiko slowly reopened her eyes to see the blurry white blanket, this man she did know, and he had to be Okita if not then his reincarnation. Listening to the regular beats of his heart that pounded against his chest as if trying to break out of a cage, she said to herself, 'Okita is alive and not dead.'  
  
Tears seeped up into her opened eyes, her mouth quivered as she began to let out sobs of joy and of pain. So many years she bubbled herself out from the world and tried to be alone to show the people what the Meiji had done to her. No one understood and took advantage of her by thinking she was a whore or maybe a lonely orphan that ran away from her home. She had fought for her life through those six years, fought to stay alive to rid her of all the pain people had caused upon her. Did they even care, no, no one cared for her back then everyone hated her as she did with them. But now, here she lingers on in this full house of children, of past and of bravery, a house that her father would probably want her to be in. (Writers block broke or so I hope.)  
  
A slight cough came from Okita; Aiko looked up with her glossy eyes and stared at his face, a face she had known since she was a child. He was growing better, ever day she would come to see his body in a new position hoping and wishing that he may have woken up even for a split second. Aiko sighed and straightened up to a sitting position, rubbing her eyes to remove all of the tears that had ran down her face. She kept her gaze on Okita who lay comfortably on his back. A small movement of his eyes occurred and Aiko dropped her hand to her lap quickly, desperately watching to see if he was going to wake up or not.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The past, everything was so blurry, people laughing and children crying. The Shinsengumi, that's right, he was part of that group; he wanted to kill the men who murdered his sister. His sister was the woman who came to him in those visions. What does she want? He was so confused, he started to remember things that he wished he hadn't and some things that he wanted so dearly to remember.  
  
'Aiko Isami..'  
  
Another vision came to his mind it was not of a little girl but of his sensei, Kondo. As the man disappeared into the pitch darkness of his mind, he thought of something else that seemed would not leave his mind.  
  
'Nariko...'  
  
More laughter echoed in the darkness, laughter that seemed from men and women alike. He could hear thunder, not thunder as in the type of loud noise but thunder as in a storm. Suddenly he opened his eyes to see a darkened room, but a room full of pictures of geisha's and two swords at the other side of the room. (Writers block kicked in again sorry) Okita look down at the blanket surrounding him and something else that seemed to show him the true agony of his true self. There kept tightly around him was a haori with blue and as he looked down his arm, white triangles made their appearance.  
  
Dry blood caked all over his uniform; Okita jerked back to only hit himself on the wall. He took another glance at the red stains and immediately brought his hand up to his warm face. So scared to find an also warm liquid coming from his mouth, he found nothing. It was blood, blood from the men he himself had killed, but he didn't want to imagine it not imagine the kind of face his victims wore last. Imagine the fact that he had made people unhappy by killing people whom fought for their own beliefs. Okita shut his eyes tightly, he was a murderer, a man that killed for the Shinsengumi. Was that who he truly was, an assassin?  
  
"Okita-chan, are you alright? Why do you fear your uniform?"  
  
Okita looked up to a woman about the age of twenty-five, her brown eyes looked down into Okita's and her hair swooned up into a bun with decorated pieces hanging about it.  
  
"Here, let me wash it to remove the blood, I'm sure you do not want to see anymore of it now do you?"  
  
Her smile seemed to change everything, could this woman be? As he began to wonder about the facts, his whole mind went dark again, the woman's still smiling face disappeared into nothingness.  
  
'That woman was..'  
  
The darkness of his mind went bright suddenly and he could finally see what was around him  
  
'Was Aiko's mother..'  
  
He had opened his eyes, though he regretted opening them due to the fact that light blared into the room. His eyes immediately shut, pain of the light rushed through them.  
  
"Okita."  
  
A voice, not fuzzy but as clear as day and a woman's voice that reminded him of Nariko. His eyes slowly opened just like before, revealing the quarters in which he stayed, he noticed the blankets over the windows.  
  
"Okita?"  
  
Okita sleepily looked over to his side to see the girl in which called his name. He wanted more sleep; he wanted to know more about his past. Memories long since gone from him kept away not longing to be seen once again. Someone was leaning over him, the woman who called out his name.  
  
'My name...that's right...'  
  
(Okita?....Okita!...OKITA!)  
  
'She was calling out my name before I left the Shinsengumi headquarters, I remember it, and she was so desperate to have me stay. I wanted to serve Japan though, if I only knew this would happen then I may have stayed behind.' Okita gave a weak smile at the girl above him, a smile that had disappeared through the years of the new era.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko seemed to have swallowed her words that she was speaking, his smile wasn't fake like when he came, and it was just like the past. Speechless by the way he was smiling she just sat there, opened eyed it complete happiness. Okita soon pushed on his elbows that were under the blanket to sit himself up his smile still not fading from his face. He looked at her, soon becoming confused because she hadn't said a thing except for his name. All this time he had been sleeping Aiko wanted to tell him all the stories that she had gone through.  
  
"Is this really all you can do after these many long years Aiko-chan?"  
  
His smile became happier, and Aiko didn't know what to do. She could feel more tears swell up into her eyes, and feel the sobs return in the back of her throat. His smile still didn't disappear, as if he knew what she was about to do, her jaw quivered and her hands seemed to do the same. As soon as she had began to cry Aiko fell straight onto his chest, her sobs were horribly mellow and he couldn't help but feel sorry for her little soul. Okita couldn't help but to let out a small chuckle as he watched her cry...or perhaps laugh. Her hands clutched onto him, and her face dug into his chest as she let of sobs of laughter. Okita grabbed her shoulders and lightly pushed her away from him to look down at her grown face.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Nest Chapter:  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Who is this Okashira Phoenix and has Okita really received all of his memories from the past? Find out in the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?"  
  
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Reviews  
  
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CeeCee: DON'T DIE CEECEE DON'T DIE I WON'T LET YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you though for reviewing me oh kind reviewer erm I think it's something like that. Anyways yeah my sister also loved Sessy and we both also thought of him as a Saitou at first, it changed though.  
  
Shippo-the-Crazy-Fox-Demon: Oh arigato Shippo its great having a friend like you around. YAY! Well hope your story turns out good I know mine is.  
  
Kagome_angel2000: YAY another chapter out, how kind of you to say such things of my story. As you can tell Okita did get part of his memory back but not all take that to note KK!  
  
Inca_dove: Unfortuantely I didn't receive your review in time to write something down here however just like all my other reviewers I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart TRULY (cough, cough Yeah right, cough, cough)!  
  
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Vocabulary  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okashira: leader  
  
Phoenix: A bird of fire usually symbolizing long life or prospers.  
  
Chan: Said to a person younger than you in my belief, or said to someone with caring. I don't know it's something like that.  
  
Nariko: Meaning gentle child  
  
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Fanfic by ione 


	5. Chapter 4: A New Member?

AN: Well last chapter was great but this chapter....well you guys will find out. Teehee! Oh and writers block will kick in close to the middle maybe towards the end.  
  
Disclaimer: You know what I had (keyword "had") these two posters of my favorite characters Okita and Duo Maxwell and you know what happened. They came to life only to tell me that I would never own, sadly but truly, Samurai X nor RK. I mean Okita and Duo came to life just to tell me that! What the nerve!?!?!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 4: A New Member?  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'I don't want you to go, but I do need to know. What is this feeling between us, the feeling that I am unable to caress? You play with me night and day, and make sure that I do not stray. My feelings for you are growing numb, from not being able to hear you hum. So listen to me pray, read the words that I say. Do not leave me my firefly, rekindle your fire and do not die...' -Jeri Tout  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Kenshin and Sano immediately came to a stop, up ahead not the ninja or person they were hunting but a dead end. Sano sighed gravely and stared in front of them, there was nothing just a wall made of mud.  
  
'Mud eh?'  
  
Kenshin was about to turn back until he heard knuckles cracking; his body turned itself around to look at what the taller man was about to accomplish. A big grin crossed Sano's face and he jumped up to the wall, his right hand flying right in front of him. The wall vaporized, turned into complete dust and on the other side there was another road to follow. He was going to keep on running until Kenshin stopped him with his words.  
  
"Sano, running somewhere without know that the person is there is fruitless, lets turn back."  
  
His gave out another sigh and looked back at the road, old buildings lined its way and at the very end, a temple. Sano narrowed his eyes at it and began walking in the direction that his friend was walking. They weren't able to catch them; he'll just have to leave it up to Katsu to figure anything out for the moment.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Phew, that was close." Said the girl who was wearing anything and everything I ninja could need. Sitting in a position where she would be ready to run continuously if someone were to come. Pulling down the half- facemask that she wore, she took a deep breath and shook her head, if she hadn't hid herself on this temple's roof then she would have kept running. Really, running and jumping over these roofs is really hard to accomplish.  
  
'Why can't they be like China, roofs kept closely together where you needn't jump anywhere, just run.'  
  
A small whistle came from beyond the bushes; her head turned towards the sound and gazed down seriously. Out popped another ninja, clearly could be seen as a man nonetheless but a ninja. His hand waved her to come over there, she nodded and jumped down, and they ran into the bushes where people couldn't really see them.  
  
"Here's your apprentice ninja clothing leader."  
  
Phoenix pulled the clothing out of his hands and gave a huge evil grin.  
  
"These people are going to regret ever going to the Meiji era. Long, prepare your friends, tonight we attack the main branch of the Meiji government in Tokyo."  
  
Long bowed his head and jumped backwards to give his leader some air. Phoenix looked down at the blue and yellow clothing in her hands; it wasn't such a long time ago when she became the new master at the art of Phoenix. She stood up and began to undress, revealing her clammy skin she had received during her time in Shanghai.  
  
She pulled on the almost dress like clothing over her head and pulled it over the rest of the skin that showed, ending to about two inches over her butt. The shorts where trimmed with thick gold fabric, and her obi that kept her outfit closed was completely black, and her shirt covered most of her neck, gold trimming not as large as the shorts but small and delicate. Phoenix closed her eyes, the name she had received from her generous master was Qi.  
  
"I can even remember what he said to me that day."  
  
'Apprentice, you are like a jade crystal, brilliant, outstanding and very noticeable. You will someday make such a great master.'  
  
She didn't really want the name though; she wanted the name of Phoenix. Though many had their own opinions of the legendary bird, she did not follow in what they say. She believed that the Phoenix was a bird of life and death and was a sign a power. The young woman began to change her long dark hair that hung to the lowest part of her back to put it up in a high ponytail. There was only one reason why this nineteen year old girl had come to Japan and that was revenge.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
And back to the Fujita home...  
  
* * * * * *  
  
June 1, 1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okita, feeling a little stressed from all the weight that this woman was piling on him he couldn't help but to give a confused smile.  
  
'Why again does Tokio-san need this much ingredients?'  
  
Tokio grabbed the last bit of daikon radish and threw it into the pot that her new helper was holding. Finally clapping her hands and congratulating herself on the amount of things she still had kept away in the small kitchen that she has. A sweatdrop went down the side of Okita's forehead; 'Saitou married this woman?'  
  
"Tokio, what are you planning on doing with all that stuff?" The newly refreshed voice of Aiko spoke, startling Tokio immediately afterwards. She looked towards the doorway where Aiko stood and smiled brightly.  
  
"Well since I haven't been over in the Kamiya residence for such a long time and now I have a new helper that is so generous I decided that I would teach some more cooking to that Kamiya girl."  
  
Aiko could feel herself fall to the floor, if Okita went there more then likely somebody would realize the kind of spirit he possessed. She grabbed onto the doorway and looked up at the now speaking to herself Tokio, pulling herself up to a standing position she nearly laughed as she watched her friends expression go to confused to overwhelmed by the weight he was holding. He almost looked like he was going to topple over onto the floor; Aiko could imagine it now. (Kerplunk!) Aiko laughed silently to herself until Tokio was finally done.  
  
"Here Tokio let me help."  
  
"Me to, if you give anymore weight onto that guy he'll bend like a stick."  
  
Aiko and everyone else, except Okita for obvious reasons, turned to look at the little boy with brown hair. Right beside him was the one-year-old boy named Tsutomu, his innocent eyes looked at the pile of vegetables and the man holding them. Okita didn't know what was going on, but he could surely use the help...  
  
"Well, then since everyone would like to help," Tokio looked down at little Tsutomu in mother instinct, "and since we can't leave Tsutomu alone let's all go together."  
  
"That's nice...Help me please, anytime would be nice."  
  
Everyone laughed at the struggling Okita who to Aiko looked rather odd without the uniform of the Shinsengumi. She watched as Eiji and Tokio both lifted things out of the arms of Okita, relieving him of all the stress on his knees.  
  
'He hasn't changed at all...'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
There Kenshin sat, in the dojo not doing anything in particular, laughing to himself about how Yahiko goes all out now. As for Yahiko, he was surely growing into a young man and it was getting to the point where Kenshin would have to test the 11-year-old boy's strength. Outside, birds chirped happily and someone that could easily be recognized began to whistle as he came their way. Sano seemed like he was constantly stopping by due to three more murders in Tokyo. Also someone tried to attack the building of internal affairs not to long ago either. Sano stepped into the training hall, a skeleton of a fish hung out of his closed mouth.  
  
"Hey Kenshin, what'cha doing?"  
  
Sano walked over and flopped onto the floor right by Kenshin, he crossed his arms and watched as Yahiko tried to pummel the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. Yahiko brought his shinai over his head once more and tried to smack it down onto Kaoru's hand, running towards her at full speed he let out a battle cry. Just as Yahiko came up to about a foot from Kaoru she quickly hit his right shoulder. He fell to the floor face down and went narrow-eyed.  
  
"Yahiko, do you need to practice swings even more!"  
  
"Shut up ugly, I just lost my balance that's all!"  
  
"Why you little brat!"  
  
**SMACK**  
  
Two large bumps appeared on the top of the boy's head; after all of this Sano couldn't help but to laugh at Yahiko. This is how it was everyday when he practiced, somehow Kaoru would keep on dodging him and they would begin to fight. Well, at least they had some wooden weapons or else both of them would turn out with a bruise or two. Sano looked over at Kenshin who surprisingly enough was staring at the wood floor, and from anywhere Sano could tell what his friend was doing.  
  
"I wonder, if this man that has been murdering others also attacked the Internal Affairs Department."  
  
Sanosuke leaned back, his eyes not leaving Kenshin's face he wore the same worried eyes that he had with that kid Sojiro. He didn't want to admit it, but he was also having some second thoughts about this whole thing with ninja's. They say that if up against a ninja to be very weary of your surroundings and the surrounds of your opponent, which means you can never really trust a ninja. A distant knock came at the front of the Kamiya home, both Kenshin and Sano stood up.  
  
"I see we have company, I'll go escort them Kaoru."  
  
Kaoru's sweaty face turned to face Kenshin; she nodded and began to once again teach Yahiko. Kenshin smiled more deeply and began to exit the training hall Sano also followed. Kaoru was to tired and to into kicking Yahiko's butt to have to deal with visitors at this moment. The cherry blossoms seemed to be finally appearing over by the river, the sky was empty of rain clouds and other bad weather.  
  
A ki struck right through him, his body tensed for a second until Kenshin finally released himself. This ki wasn't any other ki; Kenshin looked back at Sano who was also feeling something rather strange. The both ran to the doorway, hoping to see something that could explain all the questions both Kenshin and Sano. This ki, Kenshin knew it from somewhere but he just couldn't place it. They stopped in the back of the doorway and Kenshin proceeded to open the sliding door.  
  
"Oh Mr. Himura I didn't think you would come and open the door for us."  
  
There she stood, Tokio Saitou with four others, one of them which was Eiji all looked at the two men who stood in the doorway. Kenshin gave a sigh of relief, but Sano on the other hand looked rather steamed at the moment.  
  
"You gave me a scare Tokio-san, that you did."  
  
Kenshin looked up at the four others and nodded to them all then pushed Sano back so that they all could proceed to enter the courtyard. Though, it was just Tokio-san that had came, Kenshin could still feel the lingering ki and it was coming from one of the four. Kenshin examined all of them, except Eiji and the littlest one. Two others seemed to be a young couple had came, a girl about the same size of Kaoru who wore a bright pink kimono with no particular design on it once so ever. Then the man who was carrying all the materials that Tokio was going to need to cook. It was him, something about him made Kenshin want to pull out his sword, what it was though he could not tell.  
  
"Oh Tokio-san, Kaoru is in the training hall with Yahiko so until she's done make yourself at home."  
  
Tokio nodded in response and was about to proceed to the engawa to rest when suddenly she could feel someone staring at her back. As a reflex, she turned around to see the tall young man staring down at her.  
  
"Um, Tokio-san, where shall I put this?" Tokio smiled and just told him to put it on the engawa, he did so and sat down. Kenshin walked up to everyone who had just gathered on the porch and looked the older woman with wondering eyes. She knew what he was wondering about, of course she did, but how to tell him.  
  
"As you can see Mr. Himura, I have brought many people with me today to keep you company. As you could already tell, I brought Eiji with me, he seemed like he didn't want to be kept up in the house any longer." Kenshin proceeded to sit down by her, and watch as she continued to name the -people- she had brought. The younger boy jumped into Tokio's lap, she wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"This is Tsutomu, my son..."  
  
The 'my son' made Sano fall face flat onto the ground, not only did Saitou have a wife he also had a son. For all he knew, that kid might turn up as rough as his father is. Kenshin waved his hand to have them all not really pay any attention to this friend.  
  
"This is Aiko....I guess you can say that Saitou and I took her in but not as our daughter to assure you."  
  
Tokio looked at the younger man who sat patiently waiting for his name to be said. She took a deep breath and returned to Kenshin's heartwarming condition.  
  
"This is..well, his name is..."  
  
Another sigh came from behind her and up stood the man, who smiled at Tokio to stop, he looked over at Kenshin. That was it, that same stare, that smile that Kenshin knew all to well, it had to be -him-.  
  
"My name is Okita Soushi."  
  
Seconds passed on by until a voice came from afar.  
  
"Kenshin, is Tokio really here!"  
  
This was something, that Aiko didn't feel comfortable in, she wished that at this moment she was at home doing something else than introducing herself to the Battousai. He may have been that man who spared her life back then but it still didn't feel right. Her father hated the man, also did Saitou, but Okita envied his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. She didn't feel in her place, days man have passed by and the sands of time may have stopped for Okita's disease, but for how long will he stay?  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The day had gone quickly and nightfall was surely upon them as they told their friend's goodbye, everyone was there except for Kenshin. He had been missing since after the time where Okita had introduced himself. The new girl though Kaoru had thought that she was mute and that she couldn't talk so naturally Kaoru said everything and anything possible to the woman. Yahiko and Sano both ate the meal that Tokio had made but Sano wore a horrible face through the whole thing.  
  
As the group began to walk down the street, the stars began to come out one by one. Eiji and Tsutomu were probably the only ones who were actually tired from the visit. But through the whole day, Aiko was being absolutely quiet even now. Tokio thought that some fresh air and having Okita be with her would liven her spirit, but was only mistaken when Aiko wished to watch Yahiko and Kaoru practice. Okita was also being very strange, some time in the afternoon Okita was beginning to act like Aiko, quiet and reserved.  
  
'I guess no matter how many times I try to brighten someone's day they just get even gloomier.'  
  
"Hajime will be home soon, we best get there before he does."  
  
Everyone nodded and kept on walking through the lonesome streets; not a single place seemed to be welcoming at this hour.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Kenshin, where are you?"  
  
Kaoru yelled as she continued to open shoji after shoji only showing a small room with barely anything inside. Sighing once every minute sometimes a frustrated sigh Kaoru went around the corner to find the now approaching Kenshin.  
  
"Kenshin what have you been doing?"  
  
He looked up into her blue eyes, not a single worry in the world except for the well being of him.  
  
"Kaoru I need to tell everyone something, can you gather everyone?"  
  
Kaoru nodded and ran around the corner that she had stopped at, her yellow kimono disappearing behind the wall. He looked up at the darkened night sky, little sparkling white dots shimmering above him with a certain grace to even calm the inner fire from which he beheld. The calming feeling stopped when a picture of Okita Soushi, the man who was a child prodigy of Tennen Reshin Ryuu came into a fading scene in the sky.  
  
'Could it have been him all this time? Is he really the one to be worrying about?'  
  
The image soon faded away and the night sky seemed to glitter like it had before. Kenshin's red hair, swayed in the softly blowing wind, and his cross-shaped scar was as visible as a star. At this moment he didn't smile, being more concerned with the fact that this assassin who has no name may kill more people.  
  
He moved his gaze to the engawa then began to walk down the dark wooden path. Everything around him seemed to be covered with complete darkness. His gentle footsteps reached the illuminated doorway, as the shoji stayed open Kenshin walked in and quietly sat down, his movements slightly reenacting the time with he had spoken to Okuybo for the last time. Taking his sword from the safety of his hip and laid it down by his side.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Her hair fell down to her shoulders as if mimicking falling blossoms; the ribbon came out of her silky black hair. A deep sigh soon escaped her thin lips as she stared at the small mirror before her face. Tiredness was quickly sweeping over her and knowing that the sleep spell was about to fall over her, she began to take off her plain pink kimono. Another sigh escaped through her mouth, her eyes were trying their hardest to not become thin slits on her face. Though she had not done a single thing during the day, it seemed as if she were about to faint. Replacing her kimono with her nightgown...  
  
*Or whatever they are*  
  
...Aiko stood as quickly as she possibly could, she knew if she didn't get to bed right then and there she'd probably fall asleep on the floor which really wasn't a great place to be asleep on. Her legs slowly slipped into the futon's blanket and soon covering most of her body, the last thing that she had seen was the wooden ceiling.  
  
Over in the corner Okita sat, his eyes showing no wanting of sleep unlike the younger woman's. His brown eyes stared at her now sleeping body, her chest raising every few seconds as she breathed in for some more air. Not a single care in the world did she have, or so he may think, but nonetheless she was beginning to feel comfortable with him around once again. She had changed within all of these years her body had grown. No longer that girl who wanted to be a son in the sight of her father but now a grown woman who seeks for something to live for.  
  
'It must've been hard for you Aiko-chan, living without your father by your side.'  
  
He leaned his head back and slightly shut his eyes only to the point where half his vision went blurry. A burning sensation started in his chest, so painful that Okita jerked forward and his hand went straight to the sight of the pain. Feeling something rather dreadful come up, he knew what was about to happen and the sudden urge to release a horribly hacking cough had came. Now instead on his shaking, pained chest his hand flew up to his mouth to capture the blood that had soon began to flow from it.  
  
It had came back and his life seemed to have stopped at that moment, his body weakened and his lungs seemed to stop. He felt paralyzed to the point of no movement once so ever, his heart may have pumped blood but everything around him had stopped, Aiko's breathing and the twinkling stars above. He felt like falling forwards but knew if he even dared it, he'd choke on his own blood right then and there. His eyes closed themselves from the bloody sight in front of him, always shielding him from the terrible truth of his mournful pain. Pushing himself back against the wall it was then that all life began to turn once again, his body was no longer able to keep it holding from sleep that going limp was its only choice.  
  
Tuberculosis resumed in his body, not making a second thought of giving him absolute pain in his lungs. It was for sure; nothing could change his fate, maybe delay it, but never change it. He was going to die of this disease; he was going to leave Aiko by being killed by tuberculosis.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
June 2  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko opened her most refreshed eyes to the world she had come to know, everything remaining quiet without any noise at all except for the chirping of birds and other outside noises. Today though was a different matter, there was sound of a sleeping peacefully person only a few steps away. Aiko had turned her head only a bit of a fraction to actually see the person who slept soundly by her wall. His head slightly tilted to his left and his hand lay awkwardly on the floor. He hadn't even changed and gotten into his futon but only watched over her through the whole night.  
  
'Now I know he hasn't changed..'  
  
She got up as quietly and as sneakily as she could and crawled right over to his side. Part of her lips went up in a devious smile, she always loved waking him up with a loud hug in the past but when she began to think about it, it was a lot noisier back at the Shinsengumi headquarters. The devious smile disappeared and she crossed her arms and glared at the man who so she thought slept very peacefully.  
  
"You're awake aren't you?"  
  
Okita's lips went into a gentle smile, still pretending to be asleep. She had got herself all worked up over nothing. Beginning to say something but quickly cutting herself off Aiko turned her head and said something under her breath.  
  
'Jerk.'  
  
Okita couldn't help but laugh at her comment, the first time in a long time he had actually seen her and she was already calling him names. Aiko seemed to take a long pause before the contagious laugher finally caught itself in her throat and soon found herself in a laughing state just like the older man in front of her. She stood up, but quickly turned around back to her futon. She was thirteen when he last saw her and here she was all grown up and twenty-four. Her eyes quickly went narrow, when she was thirteen there was hardly anything to look at but now....  
  
"If you have some decency left in you I suggest you turn around or leave so I can get dressed."  
  
But the laughter that Aiko had recently heard had impeccably stopped meaning he had already left her room? She turned her head to see that someone had quietly opened her door and that someone was masking himself very well for one of his sleeves still propped to where she could see it. Aiko walked over to the rice-paper door, grabbed did and said out loud:  
  
"The least you could've done was close the door."  
  
Slamming it then turning away Aiko froze in her steps, was she just playing? Giving a few confused blinks to the wall ahead of her she retracted her eyes back to where her kimono sat on the wooden pole. Softening her eyes as she gazed upon the pink kimono that she always wore, buying kimono's after all meant money, which was something she didn't have at the moment.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
His smile deepened as he left the side of the woman's shoji, his bangs were still the same length as they always were as if his hair never grew but kept that boyish look to him for forever. He walked down the engawa, trying his hardest not to wake the people who still slept through the morning. He wasn't hungry; he was just wandering around the premises, looking about the place to see the kind of things that were inside the Saitou's courtyard.  
  
Okita hadn't even been able to talk to his old friend through the whole time he had been there. Even if the only people he really ever is able to talk to were Eiji and Tokio, he'd try and talk to Tsutomu once but found that the one year old was still trying to gain some vocabulary words. Aiko seemed to be a little distant from everyone, she always stayed by herself and sometimes cleaned by herself leaving Tokio were her youngest son.  
  
Sometimes Okita would find her doing calligraphy all by herself in her room writing in some book of hers. That was really the only time to get her attention, to finally get to talk to and look into her adult eyes. His footsteps stopped as he reached the corner of the engawa, beyond was a huge tree that seemed to reach up to the sky. The sky still full of serene beauty and the birds made it all come to life. Okita sighed as each passing moment went on by like the seasons; he put his hand onto the pole to steady himself as he continued to listen to the morning's noises.  
  
Not even paying attention to anything else around him and falling into his very own daydream, Aiko walked up behind him. She of all people expected him to be listening to his very surroundings especially if there is anyone walking up on him. Maybe she could...just maybe..  
  
**GLOMP**  
  
Okita could suddenly feel arms wrap around him and a loud giggle from the side of his head 'Oh Kami-sama I didn't feel her ki.' His eyes widened and his legs couldn't bear what they used to. Without warning he began feeling crippled, his legs had given out and he soon fell backwards onto the wooden porch. Feeling a bit strained on the floor he opened his pained eyes to the girl who looked down at him with one of the most hysterical smiles that he had seen. Aiko bent over and reached out her hand in order for him to get back to his feet.  
  
Reaching up his hand he sat it in hers, tightening her fingers around his warm and gentle hand. A big cheesy grin swept over his face as he as well tightened his fingers around her hand and pulled her down beside him. Falling face forward onto his chest, Aiko's eyes quickly went narrow as she did her hardest to push the girlish form in front of her down back to the floor. Her hands pushing down onto his shoulder, making him only turn to his side. Their laughter spread throughout the house, thank heavens for them both that Saitou had left early that morning.  
  
Tokio opened her shoji to peer outside, her drowsy eyes watched as the two fought. Both of them rolling on the floor trying to pin the other down, but in this time of the morning? It was clear to tell that she didn't have a good night of rest, her hair was completely a mess, a partial bun sticking out with stray pieces of hair all around her head. The only thing that looked good was her yukata, which she slept in. Tokio yawned as she watched the two 'two-year-olds' mess around on her engawa. Then it hit her, like a locomotive hits a brick wall; Aiko was having fun with Okita.  
  
Aiko, the girl who hated to be outside and talk to anyone around her slowly was starting to get her act together. Her deep sorrowful face, usually paled from not eating enough food, had disappeared or so she thought it had. Tokio sighed as she turned away with a slight smile touching her lips, silently closing the rice-paper door behind her.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Somewhere far off into Tokyo...  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A loud thumping noise came from the roof as a person in a hooded cloak quickly jumped off of it. The men who stood outside watching and waiting with their bokken's kept their grim faces, and a young man with short black hair laid almost crippled in the dirt. The figure landed and peered at the boy, walking to the front of him and examining every inch of him it soon stopped. He was...smiling? The figure's hand rose to reveal it's face, a young woman with feminine slightly narrowed eyes gazed down at him.  
  
"Hmph, you smile to much for your own good you know that!"  
  
The woman kicked him in the chest; the boy let out a loud cough as he tightened his muscles to help him feel a tad bit better. She kept her gaze on the boy making him feel uncomfortable under it; even so he still smiled. It was just like...  
  
"Get up!"  
  
The boy did not oblige but kept himself on the ground, trying to recover from his injury.  
  
"I said get up!"  
  
Still nothing, she wasn't furious oh no, how can a ninja become furious with such a little thing? At this time she grabbed the front his gi and pulled him up to her level. His eyes widened in fear and his mouth hung open from the adrenaline that rushed through his veins.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Mareo Rinji, I - I'm an orphan belonging to the Kitoku family."  
  
His words sputtered out onto the elder one, part of her lips went up into a narrow smile as she looked at the boy she held. Her eyes darted to a man that was to the side of her, he unlike all the others was a very helpful and uncaring kind of person.  
  
"Long, go tell the family that their adopted son has been kidnapped."  
  
"Aa."  
  
The woman turned back to the boy's face that had now paled into a fearful expression. Her smile enlarged as she watched the boy tremble in panic, his arms clearly now twitching.  
  
"Are you afraid of me boy?"  
  
She released the Mareo's gi making him fall to the ground since he couldn't possibly touch it by himself. All of his energy went straight to his legs and feet, not feeling anymore comfortable in her presence he did the only thing that came to his mind, run. Shooting up to his feet he ran as far as he could go, he chest quickly contracted and released as he did so. Turning a corner he found himself face to face with the same woman he tried so desperately to run away from. Her smile still not diminishing and her hand kept tightly onto her hip.  
  
"You can't run away from me now, not after I tell your family you would be gone a little longer."  
  
Mareo screamed in fright; who exactly was this girl? As hard as he tried to scoot away from her, she kept on walking forward towards his smaller body. Her shadow overcoming the light that had once fallen on him, his eyes still wide open expecting for pain to strict his body. He lifted his hand once more to help him move farther back when he suddenly realized there was no more room to back up against. Her moving form did not stop, did not falter from coming to him, shutting his eyes to wait for horrid punishment he could almost feel himself cry. When unexpectedly a soft hand touched his small face that was covered with dirt. Opening his wetted eyes he saw her face a couple of feet from hers, only about the length of her arm.  
  
"On the battlefield you may call me Okashira Phoenix, but today you are a lucky one. When those men brutally attacked you and you forced a smile, I knew I could trust you. Mareo, I do not wish to kill you, I wish for you to join my clan."  
  
"Is that all you really wanted?"  
  
Phoenix removed her hand from the child's face and revealed a deep scar on her right eyebrow. Still kind of confused Mareo stared at it for a moment and paused.  
  
"In the past I had a Japanese name, it was..."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Is Aiko truly cured from all her pain from her past just from a single man showing up in her life? And what about Okashira Phoenix, what was really her Japanese name? Find out in the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Reviews  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Wow, not really any reviewers this time, that really sucks!  
  
Kagome-angel2000: Well you found out a little on this murder that Kenshin and Sano were investigating. I also thought that it was a good idea to make some of Okita's memories come back but not all. Anyways thanx for the review since I obviously don't get that many, *sniff, sniff.*  
  
MysticInca: Arigato! I'm so happy that you got off your lazy bum just to read my story. Thank you again for saying that I did really great on my story thus far, I'm starting to come around to like it too. As for the poem I did on this chapter, well it was a very old one that I just fixed up a little to match the story TEEHEE I'm so dumb!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Vocabulary  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ho-oo: Japanese Phoenix  
  
Long: Chinese for dragon  
  
Mareo Ninji: means rare silent forest  
  
Kitoku: means tree in water  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: Alrighty, MysticInca told me to tell you guys this just so you all don't get so confused. The symptoms for TB are fever, sweats, chills, faints, coughing up blood, and sometimes but extremely rare memory loss. Just to tell you all this cause I bet your all wondering if he still had it or not so there you go!  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	6. Chapter 5: A Lost Soul

AN: Well, well, well, here I am again with yet another chapter. I have to tell you all now this is now my biggest story yet that I have even worked on. All my other stories will have to wait since I really want to finish this story for once. Also I would like you all to read the story "Honest Nothing." The writer happens to be my sister and is another Okita writer out there, so please go searching for it under Saitou, rated R, romance. There you go and on to my story!  
  
Disclaimer: I was watching Samurai X the other night when quite suddenly the lights go off during a windy storm and everything goes quiet. I literally pissed my pants when I saw this greenish transparent figure appear in my closet mirror. And there, acting all big and fancy was Okashira Phoenix with her usual evil grin on. She told me that I could never in all my dreams have Okita nor Samurai X or RK. She disappears and all the lights come on as well does my TV and there laughing Okita says, "Yes, yes, yes." Gerrrr Okita is agreeing with the Phoenix!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 5: A Lost Soul  
  
* * * * * *  
  
''I don't want you to go, but I do need to know. What is this feeling between us, the feeling that I am unable to caress? You play with me night and day, and make sure that I do not stray. My feelings for you are growing numb, from not being able to hear you hum. So listen to me pray, read the words that I say. Do not leave me my firefly, rekindle your fire and do not die.....' -Jeri Tout  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A room full of darkness and the only thing that lit the space was the window behind him, but that was okay, he was used to reading in the dark. Smoke slowly drifted upwards to spread apart at the ceiling, the cigarette that he was holding was about to finish its last ring of tobacco. In his other hand was the newspaper that he constantly read over and over. Saitou was feeling a bit annoyed, there was nothing that showed him the cause of the deaths of Botan Dai, Jomei Kadoyama, and some other insignificant men.  
  
The only thing that bonded all these men together were the plain fact that they were old samurai's and that they all sold opium to people in Japan. Saitou didn't care though, unless one of those people enraged a ninja he didn't think of it as any significance. His gloved hand tapped on the end of the cigarette and the last of the ash had fallen to the wooden floor.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita residence  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Tokio, the mother of one and the wife of a former-captain of the Shinsengumi, never in her wildest dreams would her father allow her to marry such a man. Saitou was different though, he didn't really scare her to make her feel uncomfortable, he usually did what she asked him to do such as smoking outside or even take care of Tsutomu for a while. Surely people were afraid of him in the past because he was the Wolf of Mibu but now a days he's just a police chief.  
  
Tokio, the 28-year-old female is just doing what her feminine part tells her to do. She grabbed a dirtied cup and began to wash it in the bubbling water. This morning though Aiko was acting like a child, which was adorable nonetheless by the fact she was acting like that to Okita. Immediately she thought that Aiko would be all smiles today but again Tokio was wrong, Aiko still did the things that regularly did not even glancing at Okita, Eiji, or Tsutomu. Still pretending to be quiet as if a bird had lost its beak, why is it when she is happy for one second she goes back to being the same old child that Tokio had grown to love.  
  
Okita on the other hand seems to be nothing but this warm smile that could make anyone's day a little brighter.......except for Hajime who seemed unable to have a smile. To think that the strongest of the Shinsengumi captains could actually smile and give a warm company to those who are desperately in need of something in their lives.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Repeating the same step over again, dipping her brush in and making shapes on the page her mind pondered on the many thoughts that seemed to have escaped the facilities of her mind. Aiko's eyes remained lonely and saddened by all the years that she was alone, even if she now has a radiant light that remained to show her a way through her difficult life. Her hair lay over her shoulders and her hand moved delicately as it created the words that were left unsaid for such a time.  
  
No movement was heard through her ears, silence making it way around her body and room. The whole house was quiet; not a single word went through the air. Instead of writing more Aiko closed her book on the nearby table and left it there. She stood up and just like the rest of the home that she had come to know, soundlessly walked to the shoji and opened it to see the afternoon sun still high above the mountains. Aiko remained quiet until she began to hear someone coming, also hearing a slight yawn when the person approached.  
  
The young woman turned her head to see the only person who actually bothered her whenever she wrote. His face had begun to turn pale once more, but his eyes were still as bright as they ever are. Instead of greeting him with a smile like she always did she just stood there, half- tired and half-awake. Even still, Okita gave a more comfortable grin and began to sit himself down by her door. Duplicating what he did Aiko sat right by him, no word seemed to go through the air today, or so that was what Aiko thought.  
  
"Aiko-chan today will be a beautiful sunset don't you agree?"  
  
Aiko made no response and continued to look at the mountains, Okita didn't understand what was wrong with her today. It probably was the fact that she was used to not talking to anyone. Laughing to himself he could remember the times when she loved to talk, loved to act just like her father and her mother. He closed his eyes just for a brief moment, listening to the sound of birds chirping.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"Hey little girl get back here!"  
  
"No, I'll run away from you any day Harada!"  
  
Aiko stuck out her tongue and the now irritated Harada, it was like this everyday, and Aiko constantly ran away from him for stupid that reason and she always, always it never failed played with Okita. No matter how many times he'd tell her to get changed into a kimono, she'd run outside in her hakama and gi and sometimes hid from him though he could never really find her. There she stood, with one of the most evil grins on; he knew it for sure this time she had something up her sleeve. If he turned away she would act like he just hurt her, and if he ran after her, he'd be thrown into one of her horrible plans.  
  
"Why you little brat!"  
  
'What the Hell, I'm going to get something bad either way.'  
  
As he launched to get her in his hands, she swiftly dodged him (all thanks to Okita's training), Harada looked down into the fast coming pool of water and realized what a stupid trick he had fallen into this time.  
  
**SPLASH!**  
  
Harada poked up his head out of the water, a fish wiggling about in his mouth, he looked back at the little girl who had disappeared long ago. Spitting out the fish back into the pond, he proceeded to stand up once again until he slipped and repeated the same damn trick that Aiko had made for him. He was surely going to kill that wretched girl before sun comes down.  
  
"Taking a short dip Harada-san?"  
  
Harada looked up to the returned youngest member of the Shinsengumi captains and just by the look on Okita's face, he really pitied him. Okita's hair was just like any other time he had seen him, black short strands straying from his forehead, clumped together from sweat and moisture that his body provided. His lips slightly curved in to show a delicate smile.  
  
"Hey shut up, that damn little girl just wouldn't-"  
  
"Papa!"  
  
Both the captains looked over at General Kondo only to see the little girl propped up in his arms, and would you believe it, she was wearing a kimono. Harada's head was literally covered with steam and his eyes were narrow and red. Okita on the other hand, was just plain out laughing from the man's stupidity with children. He continued what Harada was going to say.  
  
"Get her kimono on, believe me Harada-san, it will always happen so do try and give it up. You see she quickly gets it on before her father comes home, so there is really nothing to worry about. Unless Kondo-sensei sees her in boys' clothing then perhaps there might be some arguing."  
  
The nineteen-year-old man stood up from the spot; his blue and white uniform swayed with him as he did so. He was so different from all the others who joined the Shinsengumi, he was constantly happy or so it seemed and he always was with children whenever he wasn't killing men who wished for a false peace.  
  
(End)  
  
Okita opened his eyes to the now setting sun, the mountains soon showing the remorse look of silhouettes in the distance. Time could really fly when you fall asleep; Okita moved his left arm until the awkward feeling stopped him. He moved so silently and so softly to look at the object that leaned on his arm for comfort, it was Aiko. Her thick head of hair flowed away from its current position, waving over her cheek and wandering down the side of her neck.  
  
Her eyes stayed closed for the moment, enduring all the sweat blisses of dreams kept to herself. Okita didn't want to wander into anymore corners of his mind, to love this woman for him, would be trying to love his sister. He just couldn't love Aiko, in his eye's she was still a child to him, an inner child just like how he was during the days of the revolution. Okita pushed his arms under her, making it smooth enough to lift her into her arms. As he began to raise her, he was caught off guard on how horribly light she was as if he was picking up a feather.  
  
He walked into the medium-sized room, with Aiko in his arms he did his best unraveling the white futon onto the floor with his feet. Of course not all of it was easily spread out but it didn't matter, he set the woman onto the futon and brushed away her hair with the backside of his hand, from her mouth back to where it belonged. Her body had become even more fragile over the past eleven years, so fragile that it seemed she possessed what her mother did, an unknown disease that could not be cured. The delicate line of her lips entranced him as he tenderly drew a finger lazily across her soft, moist lips. Something inside of him shook, wanting to hold the woman with all of its might......  
  
"Aiko-chan, if I stay much longer I will soon put you into suffering unlike anything else before. I will stay one more night here with you and Saitou- san's family. Gomena Aiko-chan."  
  
The softness of his voice appeared to tremble with the last words that he spoke; though intentionally he didn't even mean to. Beginning to stand up once more something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. A dark brown book, showing some signs of old tear and new tear. Beside it sat a brush with its ink sat down by it, lid safely covering the odor. Okita walked over to the table on which it sat, closed and screaming to be opened just like the words in the book willed to be released from their jail. Sitting down in the most comfortable position, Okita opened the book to reveal so much writing that Aiko had done. He flipped through the pages; nothing seemed to catch his eye until he finally fell upon one word. 'Papa.' Craving more words he vigorously read the rest of the page.  
  
'Dear Papa, I'm wanting to tell you this, not to tell you that I still hate you, but just to ask you how you've been. And how our world fell apart. Are you happy up there in your great wide world? Do you think about your disobedient daughter, do you miss your little girl? When you lay your head down, how did you sleep at night? Do you even wonder if we're okay? Just to let you know that I truthfully am, though I do not know about Takara.  
  
But, it's been a long hard road without by my side, why weren't you there all the nights that we cried? It is not okay, but we're all right, I remember the days when you were a hero in my eyes. But those are just a long lost memory of mine. I spent so many years learning just how to survive by myself, now I just want you to know that I'm still alive.'  
  
The book dropped onto the floor, making a loud noise that echoed through the entire house. A headache had erupted in his skull; his hands wrapped around his head tightly, the very few moments that his eyes stayed open the world began to swirl into a circle. A blurry hand and a pink sleeve was the last that he saw, both of them closing his vision, preventing him from getting dizzy all at the same time. His body seemed to quake, making his mind go blank with no more thoughts lingering.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko held onto the trembling Okita, her arm wrapped around the front of his face. The suffering he had been doing had been going on for long enough; his pain would kill him someday. She gripped tighter onto his gi, pulling him more close than ever before, not letting herself rest until the moment that he stopped shaking. Her body strained to actually keep him close to her chest; there must be some way to calm him, to stop his agony. Hot hands pulled on her kimono, tugging on it ever so slightly but enough to indeed bring her arm down.  
  
Suddenly, the shaking stopped and the tugging grew more horrid, acting as if she were suffocating him. His quiet whimpers were very audible in her mind and his breathing was the most fearsome of all that was occurring; now sounding like he was choking, dying of no air. Aiko didn't care; she wanted to hold him right now to make sure that he doesn't go limp right then and there. She had watched her mother hold him like this, but Aiko before could not hear his breathing nor whimpers from the distance. Tears came up into her eyes as she watched Okita's arms loosen a bit, her body also loosening itself from the torturous strain that she had caused on herself.  
  
Now his hands fell to where his legs laid out-stretched, and his body's fight soon gave up and so did Aiko's. She tilted his head back a bit, and removed her sleeve from the bottom half of his face. Slight droplets of blood wetted the pink sleeve, returning her gaze to the now calmly sleeping form of Okita, her body collapsed onto his. Her head fell forward to the side of his and her ears listened to the soft sound of his breathing.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Qi! Hey wait up for me, I'm still slow remember!?"  
  
The night sky sparkled with such elegance, every little star making its life known in the heavens above. They had been running from the stupid policemen for over a course of two days now, and the men didn't even show any signs of stopping. If the Okashira Phoenix didn't do anything quickly, she and her people would be in real trouble.  
  
"QI!"  
  
Qi stopped after the boy had horribly shouted; now for certain they would know where they are. Her ninja clothing made her body unable to be seen, covering half of her face and the rest of her body. She ran over and picked up the boy Mareo that was making such a ruckus and began once again to climb into the trees from where her followers gathered. The policemen had picked up their pace and now only a few meters away. Qi promptly covered the boy's mouth as she hid in the darkest spot of the trees. Hiding on the other side to make sure that the light that they had would reflect on her body.  
  
The stomping footsteps began to alarm the nine-year-old boy but it did not seem to worry the leader. The group of men came to a slow stop by the order of their chief...... Peering down with the half of her face that she still had, she noticed something very peculiar. Long silently came down the side of her, and took out his hand in an offer to take the boy from her. Qi agreed and shoved Mareo into Longs muscular arms. Soon after Long disappeared with the boy, but some commotion was coming around as the policemen argued. She continued to look down to where they all stood and talked to each other. Then, someone came out of the following carriage, a tall dark man who showed no signs of age or anger. Dark long bangs came to the front of his face as he stared at the moronic men before him.  
  
"Captain Fujita, everyone thinks that we should turn back."  
  
He said nothing but stared at the spot in the trees that seemed to have life, a certain ki had taken him out of the carriage. The same hard gaze that Qi wished never to see again, it was certainly without a doubt, Hajime Saitou, the former Captain of the third squad in the Shinsengumi. Looking straight at her or so it appeared, his grip on the sword which kept held to his hip, he started off with his left foot towards her.  
  
She had to get out of this situation, she couldn't get caught and leave her clan, she needed to......  
  
Qi jumped as high and as fast as she could above the men and Saitou, trying her hardest to not to get noticed, but unlike all of China, Saitou saw. Under the moonlight just like a wolf howling to the moon, how could he not suspect where she was. Her baggy uniform flowed like the wind as she disappeared into the woods once more, this was her terrain, and he wasn't about to follow her here. Saitou lit a cigarette and held it in his white- gloved hand, yet again the Okashira had gotten away from him.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Blackness, yet again all he saw was the blackness of his mind, kneeling with nothing but a huge mirror, which cascaded so far away. Above the mirror the man who was hurt during the revolution, and under the man which fought during the days of the Bakumatsu. Nothing but silence and his breathing rang in his ears, pounding his eardrums as if trying to shatter them. What was his mind trying to show him? Okita closed his eyes for only a short moment and reopened them to the mirror under him. Looking at what he was in the past, every movement he displayed the mirror did the same.  
  
"Okita!"  
  
The almost silent yell echoed through the deadened light, in front of him almost a spec but very clear was a young girl running for him. Or so it appeared to him as a young girl, a long dark blue kimono and a thick head of brown hair rushed at him with an intensive speed. He looked up to the mirrored girl, who panted on her way over to him. The reverberating sound of a child's footsteps not stopping, when she had came to a fair distance for him to see he wished he hadn't.  
  
'Leave me alone Aiko, I just want to be alone.'  
  
"Okita! Where are you?!"  
  
The question shocked Okita, couldn't she see him? The little girl that he saw in front of him clearly was questioning his very existence, but Aiko wasn't a little lost child anymore was she?.....  
  
"Aiko I'm right here."  
  
The answer did not reach the little girls ears though, she still ran with her full strength, hoping to find the one person she always turned to. Okita instantaneously stood up on his feet, and then it hit him....... The person that so horribly wanted to come out of him this whole time, the one person who could hold Aiko with the sense of comforting her inner soul. Had that person hid himself from Okita eyes? Time around him stopped and the younger form of Aiko slowly disintegrated, and the ghastly surroundings transformed into the farm from which he grew up in, Shirakawa.  
  
The season of which the cherry blossoms fall, and the waters begin to slow from the raging summer gently came into Okita's view. Everything was the same as he had left it, people still tending to their farms. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, all this time he never dreamt of seeing his hometown once again.  
  
"So you have figured it out dear Soujiro."  
  
Okita spun around to look into the swirling pink thickness all around him, and there in the middle of it all was the woman which tormented him night and day.  
  
"Natsuko."  
  
Her soft and gentle smile never went away from her; she kept it with her till the end of her days and continued to smile even now. What was she doing though, why was she here talking to him?  
  
"Natsuko, I've missed you....."  
  
Gently tilting her head, her smile increased.  
  
"I have missed you dearly as well my baby brother."  
  
Okita was stunned by what he was saying, he couldn't return the smile his sister was giving him. A tender smile that he kept with him after her death at first he just wanted to be stronger; to live for her but all of that changed when Kondo-sensei introduced the newest member of his family, Aiko. Then, her tenderness turned sorrowful on him, and the look that remained on her face was a look of sadness, though she hid it with the smallest of smiles.  
  
"I have lost you Soujiro-"  
  
It felt as if all the words he wanted to say to her had began to get stuck in his throat. She had lost him, but how could she, he was still with her? Now he knew he couldn't smile to her, show the affectionate grin he had gained over these many years.  
  
"Your laughter and your soul has been tormented. You will to live and your will to stay that you are, are now becoming strayed. The days of the revolution are gone and the pain reality of killing people should have gone long ago but every night and day you relive those memories as a sense of punishment. Soujiro you have done enough for yourself and your people but mostly you have overdone yourself on avenging my life. You have had enough, let you life continue happily without taking the orders of commanders."  
  
"W-what are you talking about sister?"  
  
Her head tilted back into place and her smile came back into view.  
  
"I'm telling you to live Soujiro."  
  
Her form and the rest of the surroundings disappeared back to the same lonely blackness that he had drifted from. He stepped forward to look for her form once more; she left him again, left him with nothing but despair. The last thing he ever wanted was to be alone without anything to guide him through life.  
  
"Natsuko, don't leave me alone."  
  
"But you're not alone Okita."  
  
The woman's sudden voice made him turn around, there stood Aiko with her hands kept behind him and her smile just as it always was. Her long black hair flowing down the front and back of her. No sadness was shown in her deep brown pools, it was if she were living in her fairytale, something that couldn't possibly happen but it did.  
  
"I will always be with you Okita, just like your sister."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
June 3  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okita abruptly woke up, sending him nearly into shock as he sat up in bed. Light was little showing into the room only coming from the rice-paper shojis that seemed to line one wall of the room. His breathing almost sounding like he needed all the air around him, uncovering his hand to wipe off all the excess sweat he had gained over the night. Then, movement caught in the corner of his eye and he couldn't help the temptation to look at the side of him. One corner of Okita's mouth went upwards slightly, there sitting against the wall in the corner was Aiko, who of course was sleeping with a crick in her neck. That was certainly going to hurt when she woke up, but as a matter of 'when' was the keyword.  
  
He looked down at the clothing he was wearing; he didn't get changed for he still wore the dark blue gi that he came there in. Slyly slipping out of the futon from which he laid, he tiptoed to the shoji to open it so quietly it wouldn't even stir a mouse....... Okita looked back at her, she was like a lonely angel in that corner, but he wasn't going to be in there when she awoke. Last time she had scared him, he had at least lost ten years of his life. He grinned and walked away without making a sound, to the other side of the house, which was where Eiji slept. He really liked the boy actually, knowing so much about crops and stories to frighten Tsutomu in making sure that he did right.  
  
Eiji seemed to be at least thirteen years old and seemed to always enjoy the sunny weather, but summer was fast approaching them and his garden would soon blossom with all the things that he had planted. Okita would usually laugh at himself saying that even if he was born on a farm he still didn't know the least about planting.  
  
"So your awake."  
  
Okita stopped in his tracks but did not turn his face to look at the man to stared at him intensively.  
  
"Tokio told me what happened last night."  
  
Catching Okita's attention, which was always what Saitou could have possibly done to make sure that the younger man didn't block him out.  
  
"So ka?"  
  
"Aa."  
  
Wow, this conversation was getting no where, first time in a long time that they had talked to each other and Okita had received more of his memories than before. With a dark blue outfit that certainly fitted the police, he continued to look at Saitou with his kid-like features. The man now removed his stare back to the wall; it seemed that he was dealing with some troubles. He may have not really know this man that much anymore but maybe there was something that needed to be said to his old companion.  
  
"Saitou-san what is it?"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Okashira Phoenix?"  
  
"Aa, not only that he has a whole army of ninja's."  
  
Okita gave out a deep sigh, and his body loosened up its tightened muscles.  
  
"So what do you think we should do?"  
  
Saitou's glare intensified as he looked at his friend who he had not seen for at least eleven years, yet the man had become as frail as a child, he couldn't do anything even if he wanted to. Okita soon noticed how Saitou had begun to look at him, nonetheless he didn't get the point that Saitou was trying to tell him with his eyes narrowing.......then again, and as far as Okita could remember they were always narrow. This made Okita make a short laugh, give the tall man long hair, the Shinsengumi haori and give him a proper Japanese sword and he would look like he used to in the past, and Aiko said that he hadn't changed. Saitou looked just like he did eleven years ago.  
  
"There's no 'we' in this one Okita, you're going to stay here where you now belong."  
  
Saitou proceeded to stand up and headed for the door, only stopping inches from it did he start again to talk.  
  
"Besides, Tokio likes having you around to do work for her."  
  
Saitou walked out finally to where Okita had no clue. His face darkened by his long bangs and a small grin making its way to his lips, he stayed sat down. His old companion, the man who basically spied on him night and day, trying to find something that everyone else did not know, and the man who seemed to only be nice at times with him.  
  
'Saitou-san, you think me as a weakness in the battlefield now don't you?'  
  
Okita lifted his head to show the once darkened face, straightening his back he began to stare at the high ceiling. No remorse of the thought striking the man's eyes, he closed them once more and brought his head down to a reasonable level.  
  
(I've lost you Soujiro.)  
  
Reopening his solemn pools of shades of brown to the green mat under him, the first trace of laughter in this subject hit him.  
  
"Then again old friend, you are most certainly right."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The horrible pain in her neck, oh did it hurt, why did she sleep by the wall like that? Aiko rubbed her neck some more with her right hand as she stared off into nothingness. The least that man could do was lay her back down in bed, if it continues like this how will she ever get to sleep.  
  
"Does it hurt Aiko-chan?"  
  
Immediately, as if it was a natural reaction, Aiko's eyes went narrow. It was going to be hard for him to get through to her today. Okita sat down by the pained Aiko, today unlike all other days, she was wearing a different kimono, a dark purple with small cherry blossoms scattered at the bottom. His smile deepened as he gazed upon her now turned away head.  
  
"What do you think baka?!"  
  
'Baka?'  
  
"If it weren't for you I'd be doing chores by now."  
  
'If it weren't for me?'  
  
She was accusing him of her pain; well at least now he knew that she had really come back to reality. Her hand still rubbing her sensitive skin slowly becoming red from all the heat and massaging she desperately did to release the ache in her neck. Okita moved his hand to remove hers from her neck, softly pushing it away from her and holding tightly on her wrist. Aiko turned her head to face his, something strange was about to happen and she really didn't know what was happening. Not even subjecting to his grasp her arm went completely limp as Okita slowly closed the distance between them. Was –he- about to kiss her?  
  
Her body seemed to stop altogether, not wanting to move from its place, she soon felt something that would change her life thoroughly. Hers and Okita's lips came together in a soft kiss; her eyes shut themselves up as the time slowly went by without another word. Her hand trying its hardest not to move itself out of his grasp, but this was the most awkward situation she had ever been in. She wanted suddenly to collapse into his arms, to be held by this man. His fingers slowly stroked the inside of her wrist as he continued to hold his place.........  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next Chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
*ione raises eyebrow* Wait till next chapter....  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Reviews....  
  
* * * * * *  
  
I believe that at one time someone told me that I would get more reviewers........WELL Where are they!?!?  
  
CeeCee: Thanks for telling me that, it helped only a little, I just like it when people review me cause it gets me more passionate about my story. I don't know about the lemon part.....you'll see in next chapter. Um, yeah, teehee there were a lot of things happening in my last chapter but you know it all happened when my writers block kicked in. DAMN THOSE WRITER'S BLOCKS!!!!!!!  
  
MysticInca: Hey shuddup I am trying on the Kenshin part, it's just really hard, I'm so used to Okita. Great now I have to do my homework on how Kenshin acts, that just brightened up my day! Other than that, WOW you gave me a big review something that I am so desperately short of. I know now that I took up a big role in finishing this story, it might take twenty chapters or so to finish. SO YA I have a lot planned!  
  
Inca_dove: I thank ye o grateful one! That's funny how you said you only wanted to hear more of Aiko and Okita.....gee you got more than you probably expected from them two for this chapter. Lol.....biggest fan only when I have to contact you all to actually review. Look at how desperate I am on getting reviews!  
  
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Fanfic by ione 


	7. Chapter 6: Feelings Within

Disclaimer: Yeah we all know what happened......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 6: Feelings Within  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Her heart leapt, urgency working up in her chest as she jumped from branch to branch. Her long black hair kept up in a high ponytail; her once dark purple facemask now hung around the bottom of her neck. Narrowed brown eyes searched each sign the forest, a broken branch or a stick that had been shown most of the members of the Art of Phoenix the way back to the campsite. Qi jumped high back into the sky, some feet above the treetops; she was getting close to her hiding spot. Dark gray smoke rose into the sky, a huge clearing of buildings and huts lined the inside of it.  
  
Legs tucked in, she landed on top of one of the straw huts, her hand folded down and held onto the wood under her. If her father could only see her now, see her jump higher than he had ever achieved, he would be proud of his daughter. Qi's eyes closed and she took one deep breath to relieve her of the stress that had build itself upon her feminine body. A short boy, more than likely Mareo, was doing his best on coming up the ropes to meet her.  
  
"Qi you're back!"  
  
"What, leader has returned?"  
  
"Really, I thought that she would've been captured!"  
  
"Hey, leader couldn't be captured even if she wanted to be!"  
  
The distant voices kept on coming, each one of them amazed and some were happy, this was the place that she would always come back to. The morning sun casting itself upon their camp, trees making their long dark shadows. Qi slipped her legs from under her, sliding down the hut and landing onto the raised walkway that stood high above the ground. The wooden floor barely even shook as she gracefully landed.  
  
"Long, where are you Long?!"  
  
The tall silent Chinese man began to walk out of the hut, which she had landed on just a few moments ago. Long was the usual Chinese man, a long braid of ebony coming out of his full head of hair. He had shown feelings for her in the past, but all that he really calls her is-  
  
"What do you want Japanese wench?"  
  
At the moment she really didn't care on what he called her, she didn't even care if he ganged up on her and tried to kill her. She just stared at him, using such a ki that it would make him uneasy under it.  
  
"I want you to gather all of the clan in the main house, there is something I'd like to discuss."  
  
Long just stared at her, scanning every bit of her essence around him, his black eyes not moving from her face, cold stone eyes. Qi raised an eyebrow, it seemed as if the words had gone in through one ear and out the other. She began to walk forward and his eyes never left her face, her brown pools couldn't have narrowed anymore than what they already were. Long lowered his eyes to the engawa, and the moment he did he could feel an ice-breaking punch hit his jaw. Immediately he began to fall backwards, blood falling down onto his shirt and onto the old wood under him, coursing painfully in his mouth and making its way down his cheek.  
  
"When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it!"  
  
Her voice could've broken his eardrums if it were just a little louder, he looked up at his leader, her stare resembled the look of the former leader of the Art of Phoenix, a true Chinese warrior. Qi wasn't a warrior, no, she was just a ninja with no sense on what's going on around her. She stared down at him just as she would with a disgusting insect, arms kept loosely at her sides, her head slightly tilted forward and her eyes seemed like thin slots of with and dark brown.  
  
"Yes, leader."  
  
Long stood up to his feet used his shirt to wipe off all the excess blood that had gone down his slim cheek. Holding onto his jaw with his other hand, he retreated back to the far away ground below them, not even bothering on looking back at Qi. Just as he slid down the rope which hung off a nearby tree branch, she let out a long deep sigh of relief. Her muscles loosened arms and neck almost going limp right then and there.  
  
"What am I going to do with him, the son of the former leader, why did I take this position and not he?"  
  
"I think you're great!"  
  
Qi's eyes blinked a few times as she stared over at the nine-year-old boy who stood with the biggest admiring smile that he could bring up. Mareo was the only little boy that she could think of that actually looked up to her.......now that she thought about it, he was the only one who actually looked up to her in all of her life.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita Residence  
  
* * * * * *  
  
This wasn't right, it just didn't seem right to be kissed by this man, to be loved by this man. Her free hand still stuck in utter shock of the moment, her eyes closed and her lips appeared to enjoy every second of it. Waves of emotion drifting through her body ever instant, her wrist still remaining in his grip. Her body loved this feeling, but was this really right to be with this man?  
  
What in all Heaven's just came over him, one second he was laughing at her then the next he was doing this. His body didn't want to move, he just wanting to have this feeling forever, but why? This woman was just a friend to him, a little sister perhaps but here he was kissing her delicate lips. Okita didn't wish to move back and soon he wouldn't have to, he could soon feel a hand on his chest gently pushing him back. As they separated themselves from each other, they reopened their eyes to look finally at each other. It was a sweet and tender moment until Aiko cracked a smile, her eyes looking up into Okita's.  
  
"You know I still have a crick in my neck."  
  
Okita's smile came into view very quickly, closing his eyes once more; his head went forward into her left shoulder. Nudging his way into the soft kimono, a smell overturned him, the smell of freshly picked flowers. He felt Aiko's hand slip right out of his grasp but instead went up his arm, barely pushing down onto his dark blue gi. Then, out of no where a hand began to lie right around him. Once again, disturbance came when something called out making Okita jump up and Aiko sit like a lady once more.  
  
"Aiko, could you be as so kind as helping me."  
  
Both Aiko and Okita gave a small sigh of relief; at least the person hadn't seen what was happening. He looked over at the now standing Aiko who proceeded to the hallway back to the kitchen. Right now, if he were with anyone from the Shinsengumi, all of their mouths would have dropped wide open on what he had just done.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Grabbing the rag and twisting it once more to release all of the unneeded water, she went to her knees to put the tan colored rag to the already sparkling floor. Washing the floor the hard way wasn't so amusing, al you had to do was stroke the towel back and forth on the floor, she'd do it the way she was taught, but with Tokio by her side also cleaning the floor she didn't even dare do it. Tokio would laugh, saying that she still needed to learn some things to be a woman.  
  
"I'm all done here."  
  
Tokio raised herself along with the bucket that she was currently using and gave a big sigh, looking down at the still working hard Aiko; she couldn't help but laugh. To Aiko though, it sounded so much like a wicked laugh, maybe that's why Saitou loves Tokio....... A far off thought of Saitou and Tokio first meeting in the marketplace, Tokio laughing at someone's comment and Saitou going heart shaped eyed on her. Her little vision popped, if Saitou had fallen in love with her at first site then Aiko really knew that she was an empress of Japan.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
Aiko returned her stunned look up to Tokio, who was smiling down at her, today Tokio was wearing normal housewife clothing, an apron kept around the front side of her and her hair. Aiko could tell that Tokio had woken up and put her hair up just so that in wouldn't get in her face, so naturally, it was a mess. "You know what I mean, go ahead and do what you do best."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
'Did she see Okita and I this morning?'  
  
Now Aiko seemed to be sweating all over, how had she'd known about the whole thing already? Tokio noticed that the younger woman appeared to be very distressed if not confused so she gave up on hiding the truth and told her right then and there.  
  
"What I mean is go ahead and wash the floor your way, I am pretty sure it is a lot easier for you, am I correct?"  
  
Another sigh of relief broke the silence of the fairly large room, good Tokio didn't know what Aiko and that other man were doing.......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Some where  
  
* * * * * *  
  
All of their feet pounded on the floor, each ninja trained himself to the very highest that he could achieve. A long room filled with pants of air, raging noises, and an Okashira who appeared to be the least bit happy. That man knew where she was going off to, he had seen her jump into the night sky and disappear without a trace, and he knew which direction to head in next. One thing was for sure, that man would certainly find this campsite.  
  
Qi sat cross-legged on the floor and her hands gripped her knees, she didn't care what was in front of her, she only cared for what was following her here. Immediately Qi stood up, the fact of protecting her clan was her highest priority, and each one of these people was almost like her family, the family that abandoned her long ago. There may have been a bunch of noises but the most odd one could knock off one of the ninja's, as if it were instinct, each one looked into their angry leader's prone.  
  
As she began to walk forward, each and every one of them moved from their present spot to get out of her way. The last thing that they wanted was to be lying on the floor nearly dead from all the brutal punches and high kicks that their Okashira could fathom. The room grew very quiet as Qi proceeded to leave for the corridor; not a single man made a sound.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Qi grabbed the only available clothing that she had and began to undress; slipping off mudded clothing, which was very torn, revealing her soft and delicate skin. She couldn't believe this, how in all Hell's did he survive the last and final days of the Tokogawa Shogunate? It just didn't add up for her, the very fact that he was standing there quite alright and still the same as back then just made her more angrier than before. Proceeding to snap the last button, she began to feel like the younger her, an apprentice under the care of a great man. Blue and yellow, only two colors and really no design but they brought back the fondest of memories.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Afternoon  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Exhausted from the morning's chores, Aiko quietly made her way back to her room. Her clothes stuck to her body as she debate going and taking a bath. Knowing the answer would most likely be a 'no', there were still many chores to do around the small residence, Aiko resigned herself to a short nap.  
  
Aiko softly padded along the wooden hallway, her only thoughts being on if she wanted to waste the extra time getting undressed for bed or just passing out as she was. Eyes watched the ground before her as she listened to the soft sounds the floorboards made as she passed over top of them. Then quite suddenly she was looking at them from a closer angle.  
  
"Oof!" The unknown person said softly as Aiko bounced off of them and fell backward.  
  
Two arms were quickly around her waist, stopping her decent to the floor below.  
  
"Are you alright?" Aiko felt her stomach bottom out and hundreds of butterflies take hold as she turned to look into the smiling eyes of the man she loved. Flashbacks from that very morning rushed her, the gentleness of his kisses, the erratic flutter of his hands against her shoulders and back and the wondrous feeling of knowing he felt the same way for her.  
  
"I am fine, thank you Okita."  
  
Aiko couldn't pull herself away from his eyes, she watched helplessly amazed at the flurry of emotions that flashed before her. Everything from humor to possibly love to something Aiko had never seen: something intense, powerful and utterly fascinating. She was captivated and alarmed at the same time, trapped and yet free. Words formed in her mind that never passed her lips, all she could do was watch helplessly and wonder at the feeling growing inside her.  
  
Okita never knew what possessed him to do what he did that warm afternoon, he had merely meant to catch her, to stop her from falling and yet had ended up holding her in his arms gazing down into her dark eyes. From the moment their eyes locked and the curious expression crossed her doll like features, Okita had lost contact with his brain. He was running on auto pilot, completely oblivious to everything going on around him. All that mattered was the young woman in his arms and the want that shot straight up his spine before settling in his lower regions.  
  
He was on fire. A small part of him was suddenly afraid this was the beginning of another one of his attacks, but when he didn't begin to cough his mind turned wickedly southward. Her small breaths spurred the next course of actions as he broke eye contact and trailed his gaze to her mouth. Such a beautiful mouth, small pouty lips slightly parted as she breathed unevenly. His memory of the way they felt against his own sent another spark of desire shooting through his body. Before he could stop himself, Okita had lowered his lips to hers and was kissing her slowly. Her small body went suddenly stiff as his lips touched hers, yet loosened up gradually as he continued his gentle assault on her lips. Her arms tentatively wrapped around his neck bringing her body closer to his, causing Okita to deepen the kiss by gently probing the outline of her lips with his tongue until her mouth opened slightly. He quickly took the opportunity and plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting the miso soup she had had for breakfast and something that was uniquely her.  
  
Aiko's breathy moan was his undoing as the rational part of his brain reappeared and began to voice its opinion. 'This is wrong! Not only are you much too old for her, you are a dead man! You will never be able to give her the life she wants!'  
  
With a resigned sigh, Okita pulled away and rested his forehead against Aiko's as he desperately tried to get his breathing under control. For a while he simply allowed himself the comfort of the knowledge that the kiss had affected her the same as him. Her small pants of breathe leveling out as she leaned against his solid form. Grabbing the last remaining shreds of control he had, Okita stepped away from Aiko, his eyes still portraying his passion while the rest of his body looked passive and unaffected.  
  
"Aiko, forgive me."  
  
His words were softly spoken and Aiko suddenly felt as if she had lost something. Without the warmth of his body she felt oddly cold and unprotected and was suddenly afraid of what he would think of her. Her heart was still racing wildly within her chest as she unconsciously lifted her fingers to her lips.  
  
"Its alright, you have nothing to be sorry for."  
  
Okita fought the instant flare of passion that shot through him with her innocent gesture. His mind's opinion flared to life once more as it mocked him, 'See! Innocent, young, virile all the things you are not!' With the last ounce of strength he possessed, Okita quickly threw his cheerful mask on, smiled softly and in a slightly tense voice spoke.  
  
"Well then, I will see you later." And with one last small smile he quickly walked away. Leaving a stunned Aiko to stare at the now empty spot where he had once been.  
  
Aiko tried o shake the feeling of dread that washed over her, she tried to hold back the tears that were now threatening to spill, she tried to reason with herself that she was acting silly and her tears were for nothing. And yet she found herself rushing down the rest of the hallway, hands covering her tear streaked face crying herself silly. Later she would tell herself off for the fool she had acted, later she would put on her blank mask and act as if nothing was wrong, but for right now she grieved. For what, she really had no idea, but for now she let the tears fall, let them heal her heart and ease her mind, and before too long Aiko had fallen asleep. Curled up in a tight little ball, huddled beneath the warm blankets, hiding from the world and one man, Okita.  
  
One lone light flared every so often before being enveloped in a haze of smoke. Behind this light a tall man closed his narrowed eyes and with a wistful smirk, snorted softly to himself. Obviously Okita hadn't learned how to deal with women during those past ten years, and it seemed it was time he gave Okita some advice.  
  
With one last puff on the cigarette, the man stepped out of the shadows and headed toward the delicious smell coming from his wife's cooking.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
It was dark when Okita arrived back at the Fujita residence, his mind not any clearer than when he had left. A small smile touched his lips as he thought over his current situation. What in the world was he thinking? Not only had he kissed Aiko once, but twice! And the second kiss had been a wee bit more intense than he had expected. Leaving him in a very uncomfortable position, one that if he hadn't ended when he did Kami only knows what would have happened next.  
  
Okita stepped onto the engawa; his footsteps hushed as he slowly made his way to his room. It was late; he was tired both physically and emotionally he needed to get some sleep. Arms held behind his back, he softly hummed a tune as he turned the last corner to his room and stopped.  
  
Eyebrow raised and cheeky grin in place Okita greeted the tall, lithe man standing before the door to his room.  
  
"Saitou-kun, I hate to break your heart, but you're just not my type."  
  
A small red light flared slightly as the taller man smoked his arched brow the only outward sign he had heard Okita's comment.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
Okita's smile lessened as he nodded his head, "Hai, hai, I know. I was waiting for you to come and try to talk some sense into this old man."  
  
"Hn," Old indeed.  
  
Leaning against the wall opposite Saitou, Okita crossed his arms over his chest and waited, the twinkle in his eye gone but the smile remained.  
  
Taking one long draw from his cigarette, Saitou carelessly flicked the ashes on to the floorboards. Causing Okita to regain his twinkle instantly as he commented softly, "I thought Tokio had forbidden you to smoke in the house?"  
  
Saitou merely smirked as he tossed the butt to the floor and stomped out the small fire. His eyes never leaving Okita's as he regarded the smaller man carefully.  
  
Okita quickly remembered what Saitou was trying, he was trying to read him before attempting to offer any 'words of wisdom' to him. Helpless to stop the onslaught of distrust that filled his heart, Okita sighed and drew his hands against his eyes.  
  
"Saitou, I tire of this, just tell me what you will and leave me be." Okita's voice was suddenly older and sterner, not at all like the soft laughter that could always be heard as he spoke.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
Okita chuckled. Blunt and always straight to the point, Saitou had never changed.  
  
"Weather or not I love her is irrelevant. I carry a curse within my body that will someday consume me, I can not place that on her shoulder's it is mine to bare and bare alone." Okita rubbed his tired eyes once more, his voice a steady whisper as he answered Saitou's question.  
  
"That's nice to hear, but you didn't answer my question. Do. You. Love. Her."  
  
Okita never thought he would ever find the day he would glare at the man standing so calmly before him. But today seemed to be his day as he tossed the dirtiest look he could muster Saitou's way.  
  
"I can't love her."  
  
"If you could, would you?"  
  
"What's the purpose, I can't."  
  
"So you do love her."  
  
"That's not the point!"  
  
"You're an idiot." Saitou pulled another cigarette from the pack in his pocket and lit it as he smirked around the cigarette in his mouth. He gazed at the fuming little man before him, Okita Soushi was mad, peeved, pissed to holy hell. Did wonders never cease?  
  
"Listen carefully you dumb little shit, the point you're trying to make is crushing a woman. If you would put half of your determination in her that you had placed in surviving the war as well as the past eleven years, then I wouldn't be having this conversation with you. Saitou paused briefly to puff on his cigarette before stepping forward and turning his back to Okita.  
  
"Your pathetic. The Okita I fought with would have realized a long time ago that the woman he loved, loved him in return and was damned in her love as much as he. Get over your self-pitying, I'm tired of watching you wallow in your despair and Aiko doesn't need that kind of crap either."  
  
Okita watched as the taller man strolled away, his mind going over what Saitou had just told him. Aiko loved him? She was damned in her love for him? Self-pity! The arrogant bastard, wallowing in despair! Pfft, ya, sure!  
  
Turning around sharply and stomping down the rest of the hallway, Okita snarled at the shoji separating him from his room. Breath, he just needed to breathe. Okay, count to ten...  
  
One...arrogant, self serving...  
  
Two...self-pity my ass...  
  
Three...wallowing, just wait till I get my hands on him...  
  
Four...cigarette smoking, freaky haired...  
  
Five.. .breathe, breathe...beat the living shit out of...  
  
Six... "Okita?"  
  
Huh? What?  
  
Caught off guard, Okita quickly whipped around, old instincts kicking in as he reached for the sword that was no longer at his hip. His sharp eyes landed on Aiko's small form, her sleeping yakuta haphazardly tied at her waist. Exposing much more than he was ready to see.  
  
"Aiko? Why are you up at this hour?" He asked carefully as he forced his voice to remain steady.  
  
Aiko yawned, casually covering her mouth with one slender hand. "I, I just couldn't sleep."  
  
Okita raised an eyebrow as he watched a red flush tint her cheeks. "Alright, and the real reason."  
  
The flush in Aiko's cheeks deepened as she glared at him through her dark lashes, "What makes you think that's not the real reason."  
  
Okita took a moment to look highly contemplative as he tapped one finger against his lips. Then with a wicked smile he replied, "I remember a little girl whom when she lied she blushed." Okita smiled wider at Aiko's look of shock as he stepped closer to her. "Or I could be wrong, my mind isn't what it used to be you know. Maybe its because you happened to stumble across the most attractive man you've ever seen, in nothing more than your sleeping yukata."  
  
Okita laughed softly at Aiko's sudden look of horror as she quickly grasped the edges of her robe and pulled them together. Her suddenly modest gaze coming back to his as he took one last step, placing him barely a foot from her warm body.  
  
Aiko's breath froze, her heart suddenly began to beat wildly and the butterflies had returned to her stomach. Was he going to kiss her again? Would he turn her away like earlier? Her hands trembled with anticipation and all thought processes slowed as Aiko tried to respond.  
  
"I...I heard something. I was concerned...that maybe...I had a nightmare..."  
  
Okita's laughter died away, a strange smile gracing his lips as he lifted one hand to brush over her cheek. His thumb caressing her jawbone as his warm eyes burned into her dark ones.  
  
"Ah Aiko, never be afraid of your dreams. They are merely fears that we have yet to face, and once faced will leave us stronger. What do you dream of, Aiko? What fears haunt you so?"  
  
Aiko's heart stopped, warm tears filled her eyes and a muted sob broke free from her throat. Quite suddenly she threw her arms around Okita's waist and sobbed silently into his gi.  
  
"I dream of the day the doctor's said you only had days to live, I dream of the night everyone left me, I dream of my father's death and how helpless I had been."  
  
Okita held Aiko tightly against his chest; her tears wetting the front of his gi as he continued to listen to the soft words coming from her lips.  
  
"I was afraid you left, I can't handle the thought of you no longer being around. I lost you once; I will not lose you again. Please Okita, please promise me you wont leave me, please!"  
  
Okita's embrace tightened, "Someday I will leave and you will have to be strong. But for now, for the time that remains, I will stay with you Aiko, I promise."  
  
Aiko pulled her face away from the front of Okita's gi and whispered hesitantly, "I love you, Okita."  
  
Okita's warm smile touched his eyes as he replied tenderly before pressing his lips to Aiko's in a gentle kiss, "I know."  
  
Aiko barely heard his words as she felt the presence of his lips against her own. Moving slowly against hers in a deeply passionate dance filling her with the same sensations she had felt earlier that day. Only this time Aiko didn't feel wanton, she felt empowered and with this new sense of power she made the first tentative steps toward deepening the intimacy of the moment.  
  
Small hands, unsure yet bold, pressed against the cloth beneath their touch and moved higher to rest against the short hairs at the base of Okita's neck. Causing the muscles under her fingers to tense momentarily before relaxing and accepting the touch. Hands around her waist tightened and drew her even closer to the firm body before her.  
  
Kissing didn't seem to fulfill the needs of both parties as they separated briefly before coming together with a clash of desire. Breaths became shallow and husky, kisses more demanding and the paths their touch made more insistent.  
  
Aiko somehow found herself being lead toward Okita's bedroom and a liquid warmth coated her insides. She was ready, she needed this, this would fill that emptiness within her heart, and this would end her nightmares.  
  
Okita pulled away his breath coming in heavy pants as he struggled to keep his voice calm yet only succeeded in turning his voice deeper and huskier.  
  
"Tell me to stop, Aiko. Tell me you're not ready, that we shouldn't be doing this. God Aiko, please tell me to stop."  
  
Aiko sighed softly against his lips as she murmured, "I love you, I trust you and by Kami, I need you Okita."  
  
Those were not the words Okita really wanted to hear, he needed Aiko to push him away, to tell him this wasn't what he thought it was that she only wanted to talk or .... OH! ... Those are nice.  
  
Aiko could see the indecision still in Okita's eyes after her confession and decided to be a bit risky. Only now that she had opened her yukata she was beginning to wonder if that had been the right choice. The shock in his eyes was enough for her to quickly try to cover herself up and save herself anymore embarrassment.  
  
Okita watched the humiliation flash across Aiko's features as she quickly drew her robe back around her creamy flesh. His shock suddenly turned to desire as his hands shot out to still her own. The surprise in his eyes changed into a feral look of desire as he slowly lifted her arms out of the way.  
  
"No, don't cover yourself. Your beautiful." He exclaimed softly as his eyes took in every inch of exposed flesh before him.  
  
Aiko blushed deeply as she tried to figure out what to do with her hands, and yet the answer to her question found her in Okita's gentle embrace. Her embarrassment disappeared the moment Okita swept her into his arms. He kissed her with all the pent-up passion within him, and she was mesmerized by the fierce delight of his embrace.  
  
Conscious only of the sweet yielding form in his arms, Okita kissed her urgently, his mouth hard and demanding against hers, his hands roaming feverishly over her slenderness. There was desperation about his movements as if he were obsessed by an uncontrollable fever that could only be assuaged by the possession of Aiko's slender body. Always in full command of his emotions, never had Okita been so aroused, so driven by desire that he could think of little else but how desperately he wanted her. Okita suddenly found himself gripped by such a consuming passion that the only real thing in the world for him at the moment was Aiko's soft, clinging body. A tremor of delight wound its way through his small frame as he thoroughly searched her mouth, his hands dropping to her buttocks to lift and crush her against him.  
  
Aiko felt her entire body respond to his nearness. His kiss was devastating, the bold exploration of his tongue making her heart pound, making her body cry out with a strange yearning. She couldn't seem to get close enough to him as she arched herself against him, trying to ease the aching demand that filled her soul.  
  
The moments that followed were like a dream to Aiko, the intensity of Okita's passion, of his desire left her feeling nothing short of euphoric. The gentle grazing of his roughened hands against her exposed skin, the tender fury of his kisses as he spoke his love without words and the ecstasy that followed the sacred act left Aiko with a sense of contentment as the passion slowly ebbed from them.  
  
Dark eyes gazed into dark eyes; sharp breaths meeting and merging with each other as sweat dried in sticky trails down each other's bodies. With a shaky hand Okita caressed Aiko's flushed cheek as lazy smile touched his lips.  
  
"I suppose I owe that spiky haired idiot an apology now."  
  
Aiko giggled softly as she leaned forward to tenderly kiss Okita, "No. You need to thank him."  
  
Okita grinned wickedly as he returned her kiss with zealous abandon. Rekindling the fires of passion that had just recently been shared. Leading our two lovers to share their now found devotion until the wee hours of the next morning. Until completely sated and curled around each other in blissful sleep. Nightmares would not haunt their dreams on this night.  
  
In another room on the other end of the house, a man snorted softly to himself, "About damn time."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Beta-reader (MysticInca): Just something I had to add cause it was so stupid it was funny. Extra points to those of you who only have to read it once to notice the mistake. Gotta Love Type-O's  
  
"Eyebrow raised and cheeky grin in place, Okita greeted the tall, lithe man standing before the room to his door."  
  
Ione_girl: All give thanks to this wonderful and talented Beta-reader of mine! OH and everyone I beg of you to do this go read my sister's story, it's another story about Okita and Aiko, just not the same. Go it's called "Honest Nothing."  
  
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Next Chapter  
  
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LOL, dot, dot, dot...I'm so evil!  
  
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Reviews  
  
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CeeCee: Well actually I would email you but I can't so I guess I'll have to keep on contacting you through stories, LOL! Sano and Kenshin really won't come back in I think for a while, but about the Okashira Phoenix, you got to hear a lot more on her now. MysticInca did the lime in this story; she always does the best when it comes to these things.  
  
MysticInca: LOL Gee I've reviewed more than once for a chapter before, just not a signed one TEEHEE! Well once again "ARIGATO DANNA!" LOL, let's do this again sometime kk!..... no more to say.......  
  
Vale_chan: WOOHOO! CeeCee was right, people do forget to leave a review when they read stories! Thank you for reading my story and I hope that you enjoy it even more as I bring out many more chapters.  
  
Inca_dove: Yes of course I left it off there, just for sick pleasure of you just yelling at me for it!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Ah haha ah haha haha! LOL good luck on your story sis!  
  
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Fanfic by ione 


	8. Chapter 7: Hajime and Tokio's Story

AN: Wow last chapter was so romantic, but how will their passionate love end up in this chapter.....who knows, I'm just coming up with this stuff as I go..... Anyway, as you all have noticed I have been ignoring the relationship between Saitou and Tokio, so this chapter I decided to give my all to the couple. Plus, I will tend to skip around in the story, maybe go from a year or two till the day of that they marry which happens to be in the year 1873. Maybe you all might slightly understand Tokio's darkness inside of her heart the way that Aiko had described her. I sincerely doubt that I will have Okita and Aiko in this chap. so you all must be patient as I begin to unravel the threads of time for you all, but until I do, enjoy the intro. Need to add this: WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!! 25 REVIEWS **Looks over at Inca_dove, does little loser hand motion** HAHA, LOSER, GO ME, I RULE!!!!! U suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: ...........  
  
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Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 7: Hajime and Tokio's Story  
  
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July 3 (exactly one month)  
  
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"You bunch of loaders, here I am trying my hardest to pay for the bill here and you all are just relaxing having a good time! The men are the ones who are supposed to get the money and the women are the ones who cook dinner for you!"  
  
Kaoru was more then just angry she was peeved. Of course she had a good reason for all of this, one there was no one else but her that was getting money for food. The least that these men could do was thank her for all the effort she's done; helping one bum, a thief, and a ruffian was beginning to become a little annoying.  
  
Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano sat in front of the angry woman and tried their best to reason with her. Kenshin's reasoning:  
  
"Now Miss Kaoru there's no need to be so violent."  
  
Yahiko's reasoning:  
  
"What do you mean cook for us, any man would die if he ate your food!"  
  
And the ruffian Sanosuke's:  
  
"But, but......what could we do to get some money?"  
  
But Kaoru's reply to his response was easily answered.  
  
"DO ANYTHING TO HELP OUT!"  
  
The shoji slammed closed in all of their faces, leaving them completely confused and helpless. How were they supposed to get money to help out? Were they supposed to do what they did when they met Shura? That would be a horrible thing to do once more....  
  
A big sigh came from them all, tilting their heads forward all of them sat back down onto the floor. It was true though, they did need the money for food, and they weren't paying their fill. Instantaneously, a thought went through their minds but not the same thought. Up in Sano's empty head he pictured helping out at the Akabeko, then soon realized what a horrible mess that would turn out, he could imagine it now. Kenshin not knowing where to go and poor Tsubame ending up with a red face with Yahiko there.  
  
'That would be horrible......no embarrassing.'  
  
Yahiko gave a big smile, how about they get paid for bullying up some people, or become fighters for hire for a day to gain some money, who knows they could always run into some old enemies and beat them up. Hey there might be some fun in it, then again, Sano and Kenshin would probably take care of it to quickly. Both of them wouldn't need his help because the people would be down after 'rooster head' hit them in the face.  
  
'Forget about that......'  
  
Kenshin really didn't know what to do, the only thought that really crossed his mind was to help out at some kind of apothecary or restaurant and gain some money there. Giving another deep sigh, Kenshin slouched once again, it was hopeless, really, there wasn't anything out there that they could do. Suddenly an almost silent knock came from the front; nothing unusual could be felt so instead of Kenshin answering the door, Sano stood up and proceeded through the hallway. A few seconds passed before Kenshin and Yahiko heard the door open and a ki begin to flare.  
  
The two both stood up as well and also rushed to the door, Sano was there, hands in strong fists and shoulders tightened. On the other side of him was a tall man..... with four spider-legged bangs, Saitou. His narrow eyes closed and his left hand kept on the sword that stayed at his side.  
  
"Move away ahou, I didn't come here to talk to you."  
  
"What did you say?!"  
  
Sano could feel the rest of the door move away from his grasp, and a full head of red hair stepped forward in between of the two. Kenshin's eyes didn't seem to be worried at all with the presence of the man; it had almost a month since the last time he saw Saitou's wife. Kaoru had gotten better with her cooking that much was for sure.  
  
"What do you want Saitou?"  
  
"Still without manners I see."  
  
Kenshin's eyes narrowed only a fraction as he stared up at the seemingly six-foot tall man.  
  
"I only give manners to who are worthy of them."  
  
Saitou smirked just for a second and recollected his stern face; there was something that he wanted to tell this shell. He had found the next location where the Okashira Phoenix is going to murder some more people.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita residence  
  
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'It has been so long since the time that we first met, the time in a marketplace in Kyoto where I had been overtaken by some men.'  
  
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January 18, 1871  
  
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Three long days it had been snowing, white powder covering the ground and piling up as high as it could go. Nothing really happened on the outside anymore, just the few people in carriages came and went. A door kept opened to all of it and a single man sat there, puffing his cigarette calmly. Kyoto was slowly pacing down, in these winter months though what wouldn't slow down. Still having a long samurai ponytail made of black hair and his swords by his side, only a thought drifted through the man's mind.  
  
'Shinsengumi had failed.'  
  
Most of the men were executed or captured, word of the death of Kondo Isami spread rather quickly, mainly in a bad way. After that he had received word from a former soldier of the Shinsengumi that Hijikata had died in the Boshin wars. Slowly but surely, men who were from the Shinsengumi were dying to fight for the era that had passed only a few years ago. The man's grip on his hakama tightened relentlessly. There was only one man that he knew that would fight this Meiji era, and that was.........  
  
'Okita.'  
  
'That damn boy.'  
  
Thinking about him only made Saitou want to slice something in two, if not that then punch something to death. He quickly stood up, not caring of the weather around him he needed something to do, the longer he stayed kept up in that home the more he became angry. His clothing seemed to stick with his tall figure except for his overcoat, which began to act like his old Shinsengumi haori. Crunching sounds of snow could alert anybody who came into the path of someone else, making the noise for over a very short distance.  
  
Kyoto was quiet, to quiet if anyone asked him, not a single noise, even the sounds of people cooking could not be heard. Why should he care, the silence was always better than anything else was. He continued to walk down into the snowy haze in front of him, not even noticing that he had begun to walk in the marketplace. His cigarette had just went out when the winters snow fell upon the tip of it, making it wet to the touch. Reaching up for it, he flicked it with the tip of his thumb and it began its decent to the white ground.  
  
Then, from out of the distance a woman's scream echoed through the falling white powder. A helpless blood-curling scream that even men themselves would be horrified by. Not Saitou though, a mind which was so rational and strict that it even knocked the smile from his old friend's face. Saitou could imagine how stupid he would look if he just rushed into a fight without knowing what was really happening. The moment that the woman's scream stopped was the moment where Saitou could hear men laughing, this could only be one thing, torture.  
  
Three figures soon hazily appeared one on the ground and two standing up with pathetic looking bokkens in their hands. Keeping his firm expression he proceeded to the scene only stopping to where an alleyway was; watching what the men were going to do next, he narrowed his eyes and waited.  
  
"You stupid wench! Who ever said that you could help out here?!"  
  
The man stepped forward and threw the bokken upon the woman's frail body.  
  
"You have some nerve, to tell us that we need to pay food in this old broken down restaurant. Who do you think you are a thief, we already paid for enough food by bringing this Meiji era to life."  
  
The other man walked closer to her and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her up to his eye level. Then, with her eyes wide with fear, the man threw a punch into her stomach and let her drop back down to the ground. This time, unlike all other times, she didn't let out a scream of agony instead she released frozen tears that were like glue in the presence of snow. Her hands embraced her stomach and pushed down on it to try to relieve the pain. The men, who only a few minutes ago had left she had hoped, she didn't hear their angered breathing. Reopening her frosty eyes, she only starred upon a hazy black blur infront of her, which was kneeling down beside her. She closed her eyes, feeling some sort of sleep wash over her she lay motionless.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Fainted eh?"  
  
Saitou grabbed the woman's arm only slightly and picked her up, raising her to put her on his back. Not even heeding all of the cuts and bruises that she had received, the only thing that he kept his eyes focused on was her face. Though, at that moment he couldn't really tell what she looked like from the blood running down half of her face, but something about her reminded him of someone. Her body structure wasn't that much different from the one who reminded him of her. A woman, not that tall but not that short, cascading black hair going to the lowest part of her body. A woman who deeply devoted her life to her husband and the Shinsengumi, who bore two daughters and who took care of one orphan, for everyone who knew her, her name would stay engraved in anyone's heart, Maemi. This woman that he was now carrying to the hospital looked almost like Maemi.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Warmth, something that she had longed for such a while, she could now feel it in her body. Ears finally adjusting to the sounds around, listening for the sound of banging pots and pans only when realizing that there were no sounds at all. Some silent whispers only floated through the room, tones of ruffling papers and a deep sigh, where was she?  
  
Quickly opening her eyes she studied the roof above her before finally realizing where she wasn't. Slowly pushing herself up from her elbows she saw the room around her, plain green mats laid down onto the floor and ink paintings hung from the walls. The question that she had recently asked herself was a rather good one, where was she really?  
  
"Doctor, she has finally woken up."  
  
"That so."  
  
She turned her head to see the slow approaching man in gray, hands tucked behind him and a frown covered with long gray hairs, he was indeed the most horrible looking old man that she had seen. Short and stubby and old, three mixes that always seems to give her the willies. When the older man stopped he looked deeply at all of her wounds, examining each one so carefully that the woman could've sworn he was actually a perverted old man. If that were the case, so was captured for some sick pleasures for an elderly man, and the young woman behind him was probably here to keep her down. The middle of her face quickly went the shade of blue, only one word played over and over in her mind.  
  
'EEEWWWW!!!!!!'  
  
Suddenly he backed away and turned to the young woman behind him, he bowed his exit and left the room. The other woman's face followed his form until he disappeared behind the shoji, then giving a sigh she looked back over at the woman in bed who seemed to look more frightened than a pale ghost.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
Quickly being drawn out from her mind, she starred over at the woman who wore a small smile.  
  
"Takagi Tokio."  
  
"What a beautiful name."  
  
"....um, ano, what is this place?"  
  
Almost taken back by the question, the woman laughed nearly hysterically.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Oh, gomena, this place is a hospital, a man brought you here not to long ago. He was a scary one though, really narrow eyes and swords kept close to him, he must've been a samurai a few years ago."  
  
Tokio began to feel a little easier about the whole situation, that woman must've just been a nurse......a really hyper nurse at that. She was nearly bouncing off the walls just talking, really annoying, could someone just shut her up now. Soon afterwards, the shoji reopened itself to show a tall figure standing there, black hair in four bangs draped over his face. Gray hakama's and a black gi, squinted gold eyes staring intensely at her. Tokio could feel herself shrink into a little ball.  
  
The nurse who was at one time jumping around silently bowed her way out, but Tokio didn't want her to go she wanted her for a block from whatever this man yields. The sounds of his shoes rang in her ears as he proceeded to walk inside the light room, closing the shoji behind him. Saitou couldn't help to laugh inside himself at the look of distress that crossed her face, hands clamping fiercely onto the blanket from which covered most of her body.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"N-nothing."  
  
"Hn."  
  
Turning around and walking to the window of the room, he made his back face hers, telling that him starring at her didn't make her feel any comfortable. With only a short glance at the woman he could notice three things that she didn't lack.  
  
One........Because she holds up a blanket to cover her she must half some decency unlike the women in the brothels.  
  
Two........The fact that she is around the age of 18 and not married gives the woman some integrity but not much.  
  
Three........  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
Tokio wanted to fight back the question, first time she comes to Kyoto after the war and she already gets into trouble, she wished her father was here to back her up. Swallowing down the question, she ignored him and tilted her head to her side. She, never in her whole life really had to answer to any man's questions, even if the man.....looked kind of.........  
  
"You going to answer?"  
  
Did she really have to?  
  
"Hai...."  
  
Saitou turned his head to look back at the still distressed young woman.  
  
"It's Takagi Tokio..."  
  
Continuing his old thought......  
  
Three........She's the daughter of Takagi Kojuurou, an important member in the Aizu officials.  
  
"And yours is?"  
  
Plus, she also likes to blurt things out when not needed.  
  
"........"  
  
Tokio watched the man in almost complete silence, waiting for the guy to actually answer her question. Now that she thought about it though, it was kind of an unneeded question to ask after all she only knew the guy for a few seconds. He was tall 'that was for sure', dark 'scary if you ask me', and it seemed he was the type for all of the honor 'taking all this into account he probably was.......'  
  
'OH I know a farmer! That's why he has to carry a wakizashi and a katana, after all he does have to protect the crops.'  
  
Tokio put on a small grin and looked up at the man starring out the window.  
  
"Saitou Hajime."  
  
Her hands fell upon the white blanket covering her; the blanket also fell exposing the bandaged skin underneath. He was no farmer, he was a samurai, and as far as her father told her, he was an especially good warrior at heart and at mind. He didn't at first look like any samurai but now that she watched him, gazed upon his structure she could see the influence in him.  
  
Saitou wasn't even beginning to feel any better, this woman only irritated him more, and her complete silence after he told her his name. The only thing that actually was audible to hear from her was her soft breathing, something that really distinguished men from women. He looked back at her, eyes shadowed by her bangs, hair up in a bun but so loose that some strands had begun to fall. If this was the young daughter of the Takagi family then certainly if seemed that she was a spoiled brat.  
  
Turning to the door Saitou lit his last cigarette from his pocket and began to walk to the door, but instead of opening it he stood there waiting for something that he forgot would never come. Whenever he was alone, or when he was about to leave for somewhere, there would always be a laugh that seemed to over joy people. A laugh that surrounded them with the smell of cherry blossoms, rather feminine to Saitou but that man was a rather helpless one at the time, choosing to serve the Shinsengumi then to live out the rest of his days at home where he did truly belong.  
  
"I thank you for saving my life Saitou-san."  
  
How woman-like, thanking someone you do not know but indeed it was common courtesy to thank someone who saved your life. Saitou didn't bother on bowing or even nodding, like he thought before, he wasn't in the mood for anything to occur right at this particular moment. Narrowing his eyes once more and giving rest to those muscles he opened the shoji and walked out of the bright room.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The older woman gave a silent sigh, her eyes peering out the window in front of her, sunlight continued to poor onto her form. That year was probably the biggest turning point of her life, at first she didn't like the man at all, but the countless times he saved her and not to mention he was the one who her father helped to get into Kyoto. Inside was nothing but silence and outside the sweet perfume of cherry blossoms and the sounds of birds chirping at each other. Summer was here finally.  
  
Tokio stood up from her resting-place on the engawa, for some odd reason she didn't feel like doing anything today. Then again, she had been doing a lot of work during the past few days so she could be allowed to have a day off from all of it. She made her way down the empty hallway, or rather quiet hallway, no kids, no Aiko and Okita, just her all alone. Speaking of Aiko and Okita, those two seem like a couple now, they're always together and now Tokio has no one to talk to. Plus the only thing that she didn't like doing is reminiscing about the past.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
1873  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Summer, yes the only time that Tokio never liked well, it always seemed to bring out the worst of things. Her long black hair swinging with every step she took, her hazel eyes looking upon only the men and women. Many days she had been away from Kyoto, she even asked her father to go back there again, but he didn't appreciate the thought. He had been telling her of a man that he planned on her marrying, so of course it had become an arranged marriage, but hell, she didn't want to marry a guy that she didn't even know.  
  
All that she knew of him was that he was a very strong man and that he was trustworthy. Tokio starred up at the puffy white clouds gathering in the east, her life seemed to pass on by as she calmly watched them float her way. Soon very soon, she will be married and will learn to live on her own. It wasn't the fact that she didn't want to leave home, she knew that there would be a time where she would have to, but now, she was going to be forcefully taken away from her home by being in an arranged marriage.  
  
Tokio gave a distressed yawn, slacking her posture as she did so until finally standing up and walking back to the front of the house. Aizu, a place where some of the finest doctors lived, and along with the doctors, old samurai's protecting their homes with their own sword and blood. To Tokio, it seemed such an awful thing to do, waste your life for such a country that was falling blindly into madness, but the days of the Tokogawa Shouganate had long since passed. Was there really any reason to hold a sword now?  
  
Her hand guided her down the side of the house, feeling all of the rough edges with her hand; she would do this when she was a child. She was so fascinated by all the feelings of the bamboo and wood, how they had all kinds of bumps and ridges, now though it appeared to be dull even though it wasn't. Maybe it was because of the simple fact that she had been here in Aizu for to long of her life, maybe it was a good idea to have an arranged marriage.  
  
The moment that Tokio had full sight of the front yard was the moment that she stopped in her footsteps. There standing in the middle of the yard by the garden was her father, still dressed in a black uniform. Then there was another man, first things that came to her perspective were tall and dark, but when she focused all of her attention she begin to see the man that her father was talking to. A tall man dressed in a black gi and brown hakama's, a ponytail that might've gone to the bottom of his back, black hair, and a seemingly narrow face. She knew that man; she had met him before back in Kyoto, he was the one who saved her, who brought her to the hospital for wounds to be bandaged.  
  
Tokio backed up to the side of the wall, covering her quickly beating heart with her hand she tried to listen intently to what they were saying. Her eyes stayed locked open starring out into the long fields beside the home. The conversation wasn't tense, actually it was an easily said talk from man to man. The words coming from her father were easier to here than the strangers, and when she heard them she began to feel fear working up in her chest.  
  
"I assure you Saitou-san, my daughter is a good woman."  
  
Those last words told Tokio everything; her father was marrying her to the man she met in Kyoto. Now Tokio could feel her legs go limp under her and as a result, she slid down the wall into a sitting position. Tokio's beating heart froze for a second before continuing it's regular path, she knew that in a few days she would marry that man without any say in it at all. Of course though, a woman was only allowed to sit to the side and be silent until the men were done with their stories and lectures. This situation grieved Tokio though, she may have not known the guy only for a few seconds and now marriage between the two was coming.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Few Days Later......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The marriage came and went, her father said that having it in Kyoto seemed to fit the new couple better than in Aizu. Both of them were silent until it was their turn to speak, exchanging wedding vows to the one they were going to live with for the rest of life. Now they both were walking down the street towards their home, that home would be the place to live, to cook, and to prepare baths for her teishu.  
  
'Teishu.'  
  
It sounded much better than calling him Hajime for the moment, his real name seemed threatening to her very existence and so the only thing that she felt was in her power was to call him by that. He hadn't said a word since the time when they left the Congratulations party, she knew she wasn't up for that, having fun and drinking sake sounded more like 'Act like a two-year-old and do whatever you want!'  
  
She also could tell that her new husband also thought the same thing or at least the same thing. Tokio gave a low sigh; she loved the piece and quiet but she didn't even know this man and was starting to feel like she never will. Saitou noticed his wife's sigh and glanced back at her, half of her face was covered with her black bangs. This whole event must've been very exhausting to her, just like a woman, get tired even after such little things.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Yes, those times were times of heartache and chaos, both the Boshin and Seinan wars caused her heart to shed tears unlike any before. She never knew she could love him so much yet hate him at the same time. Just like the first few days in Osaka when she finally realized her husband was an alcoholic by nearly killing her with his very own sword. The only thing that probably stopped him was her sudden yelp of pain.  
  
'The days in that house went on by, Hajime wanted to leave to fight in the Seinan wars, I wanted to stop him but only learned that I could not. The very chilling thought of him attacking me just like when he was drunk only made me fear him more. I hated him, and yet my feelings for him began to grow and that day that he left was so hard for me. I couldn't tell him the truth, I couldn't speak a word with him but that all I could do was smile and watch him leave. Back then I regret that I didn't tell him the truth, and that truth was the mere fact that I was pregnant.  
  
Months passed on by and I began to gain new friends in Osaka, some young men who had been training in the local dojo and others were wives that cared for me dearly, almost like mothers to me. Everyday someone would come over to talk to me, not about Hajime but about things happening in the market and dojo. They wouldn't say a word to me about him, not a word but almost acted as if he never existed.  
  
Then one day I happened to stumble across a young woman, no older than 19, but clearly a raggedy mess. Her hair was tousled and her clothing, a beautiful but torn shade of orange kimono stuck to her body from all of the mud that had caked onto it. She kept herself tucked into a ball to keep her warm from the quickly approaching winter. Many people spoke of a ghost that haunted the streets of Osaka, no one knew the story of the ghost but all feared it was angry.  
  
They told me what it looked like, what it acted like, but they never gave me an age. At that time, the description clearly fit the young woman's. That was the day when I found someone to comfort me, to take care off to pass time, oh I was fond of this new girl with me but oddly enough whenever I tried to talk to her it never seemed that she would answer. One day she was kind enough to tell me her name, probably because I mostly called her sweetheart or honey. When she told me her name, I can remember dropping the cup onto the floor from which I was washing. That girl's name was a rather famous one when it came to the Shinsengumi, her name was Isami Aiko.  
  
Yes, everything was going fine and people were starting to get used to having Aiko around more, and soon they began to treat her as a daughter as well. Oh I loved having someone around to talk to, until one day I just didn't want anything, I had realized how long it had been since Hajime had left. That day no one disturbed me, not a single person, not even Aiko who came by the door to listen but never came in to see me. He had been gone for at least three months then, the rest of the month went by so distressingly that I began to leave the house that I lived in and the find myself lost in the woods.  
  
Thank heavens I had Aiko, she knew Osaka by every nick and corner, and she always came to save me. I would say thank you but only to find that there would be no response. There was one day when she wouldn't come near me, she wouldn't do her usual routine by passing my door and listen to me. That day was a day that all life in me died, when I tried my hardest to commit suicide in the kitchen. I realize that if I really wanted to go I should've gone to my room and kill myself, but I couldn't return to that room, there was no way I would.  
  
Aiko had forbidden me of doing such an act, using both her hands to pull the knife from above my head away from me. I fell into such tears that Aiko didn't know what to do until finally I told her, I told her that I had lost Hajime's child that it lay in the futon. I had miscarried my own child, I had lost the link between my teishu and I......'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The house remained quiet, not a single sound vibrated off the walls only a soft and gentle breath passed through the air. In her hand an old book that she held close to her heart; it was a book that her mother had given her before she left Aizu. Many days she sat and pondered the book, trying to understand all of the strange riddles inside of it. Pulling the book up towards her heart, Tokio leaned forward and remained silent.  
  
Suddenly, the sound of a young boy laughing caught her attention, her eyes slowly opened and she laid the book back to rest in the wooden box from which it came. Pushing herself off the floor, Tokio proceeded to the open shoji and walked out closing the door behind her. The gentle steps of her feet hitting the wooden floor made her spirit become once more happy then depressed as she continued to the engawa. Outside she found the four people who had left earlier that day to buy some things in town, there was Aiko who was giggling to herself and Tokio could understand why. There on the ground being bullied by Eiji and Tsutomu was Okita, laughing and trying his hardest to push them away.  
  
Everyone was laughing, laughter echoing into Tokio's ears. These were the times that she had forever missed, the fact that she had been confined into situations where it would only bring more distress. Those were days of dread to her, the days where she feared her own husband, but all of that had long since passed. Now she had the love of a husband and to children, and also the love of Aiko and Okita. Yes, at least she had that person to watch over her for the rest of her life, at least she had her love Hajime Saitou.......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: Oh My Gosh was this thing hard to write, I like Saitou and Tokio and all but, heh, their pairing...................no comment. I really had a hard time with this chap. so please I beg of you don't make me feel any more worse. Besides that I really, really, really recommend u guys to go to this place to check out all of my fanart on my story "Where Are You Now?" You'll see the process of getting the characters write by drawing them. Oh and by the way, my name in this site is called Okitasgirl, lol! "Huff, Huff!" Also, just to tell you all, I'm so interested in this new anime Peace Maker Kurogane...It has a pretty, pretty Okita in it....OH DO I LOVE OKITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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Reviews  
  
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Inca_dove: ......I forgot what u said but Thank you anyways for reviewing....TEEHEE! That's why it is better to review at ff.net SO THERE UH!!!!  
  
Mystic_Female: AHH. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DANNA! Thank you for being my first reviewer.....teehee, later in the story I might come to u again....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! **Cough**  
  
CeeCee: LOL, yeah centuries later, I was wondering if you were going to review my story or not, thank heavens you did because when I don't get reviews in a long time I tend to lose my edge in writing. HEH I'm a sucker for reviews!  
  
AngryBee: Sorry if the part about Tokio sounded familiar from your story, I tried my hardest to keep it original. Besides, my sis.....Mystic_female says that Tokio does have a miscarriage in Osaka. I don't know, really I don't, I'm someone who likes to sit back and read any Okita stories out there, for some odd reason he just never gets boring!  
  
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Fanfic by ione 


	9. Chapter 8: A Long Lost Sister

AN: Hey I'm back again but this time I plan on giving you guys a little more to think about. BWAHAHAHAHA, me so evil! I've kept the identity of the Okashira Phoenix secret for long enough, time to give you guys some hints on to who this woman is.  
  
Disclaimer: PMK Rocks! Oh, Samurai X and RK are kool to, but they don't have as many Shinsengumi scenes as they do in PMK! So I say it again, I don't own anything except this story.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 8: A long lost sister  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"It's what I see, and what I know, that when on knee it's all for show. Your truth backed by lie, your lie backed by trust. But for when it will die All your lust for lust. A darkened gate, for mysteries to keep, can't not be late. Plans not shallow, deep. Evil shinning less overcome by good. Secret men they bless, showing how she could." -Shana Tout  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"For crying out loud, where the hell did he leave now?"  
  
Yep, this was one of those days in which nothing but anger flashed in his leader's eyes, maybe he should just sit back and watch the same old argument roll over and over again. Mareo's tossed back and forth as he continued to watch Qi pace the floor, she strangely enough wasn't in her usual mood, possibly just irritated.  
  
"He's late, for being the son of Master, he's absolutely late!"  
  
The young boy just rested his head onto his hand, a samurai sword resting by him, he was still to young to handle it but someday he would use it to fight for justice and for peace. Finally Qi stopped in mid-stride for in the doorway of the hut was Long, but not a 'in peak condition' Long, Mareo almost ran behind his leader in fear. Blood coursed down his body from several wounds, his shirt was only hanging from only a few threads, and his hair was no longer in its usual braid but now his hair mostly stuck to his body and covered his sweaty face.  
  
Qi didn't stutter though, her body kept straight and guarded. Clearly she could tell the wounds on him were not of any sword but of a spear. The difference between the two was only a small margarine but enough to show someone like her that the cut was thick, if it were a sword then he would've been sliced into pieces surely. Mareo continued to look at the two then glancing back to Qi then to Long, it was very disturbing. Their eyes may have looked stricken but usually Long or leader looks away, not now, their eyes stayed locked to each other.  
  
"Mareo, go get some bandages and medicine quickly."  
  
Before the boy could even stand up and walk out the door, Long's legs went limp instantly making him fall from his standing position. A red liquid went everywhere onto the floor when the sudden thump was heard. Standing there in shock, Mareo had forgotten his job and watched his leader's reaction, her mouth slightly opened, and her hands were clamped tight. It seemed that her brain was fighting itself on what to do.  
  
'Damn Long, what did he do now?'  
  
Moving her legs toward the breathing heavily body, she was trying to decide if the only option was to kill the poor man. Something in her though fought that idea back, and as graceful as she was when she was a little girl kneeled down by his bleeding right shoulder. A slight grin crossed her face as she looked up to the wall.  
  
"Didn't I tell you to get something?"  
  
Just like he was waken up from a nightmare, Mareo jumped a bit until he finally realized he hadn't been moving since this whole thing occurred.  
  
"Oh yeah, bandages and medicine!"  
  
His child-like actions could've reminded her of her young days, but being shipped to a place where either you live and die by the hands of Chinese swordsman. Then being saved by a ninja, her life seemed to turn at that point. Qi looked down at Long, spotting that some blood had already began to course from his mouth. Laying her hand down onto his head, she pushed the hair away from his face.  
  
"W-why are you d-doing this?"  
  
Releasing more blood as he spoke, Qi narrowed her brown eyes and laid her hand onto his wet shoulder and pushed him over to his back.  
  
"Because I have to..."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Okita would you please and do me a favor?"  
  
Looking up from the engawa his gaze landed onto Tokio who looked like she was having problems, he brought up a huge smile as he tried to look as sympathetic as he could. Her hair was bundled up in a mess, and her brows were furrowed, nonetheless, it was a comical sight.  
  
"Hai Tokio-san?"  
  
"Could you possibly take care of Tsutomu, I really have no time right now and he's already started to hurt himself."  
  
Okita let out a short chuckle as he nodded his head; she was doing much more work then usual and he really hadn't been doing that much to help around so it was the least he could do. He stood up and proceeded to the next room where much of the ruckus was coming from, finding Tsutomu crying and Eiji was probably outside. A smile crossed his boyish features, he hated to say this but Tsutomu kind of reminded him of Takara.  
  
That's right, Takara, she had disappeared such a long time ago, Okita wondered if the girl was still alive. Walking over to the crying first- year-old he gently put his hands under the child's armpits and lifted him up from his spot on the floor. Raising him up to eye level, Tsutomu gave a few sniffs and pouts before conceiving the fact that he was being held by a man with black hair. Soon then replacing his sorrowful face to one that said 'YAY!'  
  
'I wonder how Aiko ever faired off when knowing that her sister was somewhere all alone.'  
  
Suddenly, his smile slowly dropped and so did Okita, nearly collapsing to the floor with poor Tsutomu. Covering his face so that the boy didn't see him, Okita told Tsutomu to go outside to see Eiji, maybe get told more stories. At first he didn't want to leave but having a first-year-old brain said that he'd rather stay with the older man. This wasn't what Okita wanted though, he could already feel it working up in his chest and could start to tell that this one wasn't going to be a breeze. Standing up as quickly as he could to run away from the little child, Okita stumbled over to his room down the engawa.  
  
Now the pain began to worsen and he could start to feel his chest lock up, breathing in now felt like hell burning over him. Opening the shoji and closing it behind him, Okita fell prey to the disease in his lungs. One of his coughing fits began some coughing hurt more then others and some seemed like he was choking on something. Falling down onto the floor, he kept one hand to his mouth and the other to his chest that was begging to be relieved, but there wasn't going to be any relieving for the moment. His body's energy ran down hill, he shook incredibly violently and then he fell completely to the floor. Lying on his stomach, or rather his chest was something that made him feel more horrible. Before any more thoughts were made, Okita suddenly felt the want of sleep tug on his soul.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
No crying, no laughing, just.......storytelling? That was awfully strange, the only person in this whole house at the moment was only Eiji who loved storytelling. The only time he did it was when Tsutomu was out there making a ruckus, but didn't she leave her son with the helpful hands of Okita. Curiosity finally peaked when she only heard just those two, and stopped what she was doing to casually walk over to the door where she found only two boys and no Okita. Ignoring the fact that the presence of her son was annoying Eiji, she began to walk down the engawa. Okita's room was right around the corner; the strange thing was he usually told her where he was going.  
  
As if by instinct, her hand went to the wall to guide her to the place that her mind was leading her to. The soft texture of the wood and the shining surface of the engawa could help anyone relax in this era. Turning the corner she hoped to find Okita when she only noticed that he was no where to be found on the porch so he must've been in his room. The shoji's where only a few steps further and her hand that was drifting against the wall fell onto the rice-paper doors and slowly opened them. First, the room was black, like the color of night, but as the door opened the light immediately made it's way in. Falling upon one object that stopped all possible movements together. There was the man she was looking for, sprawled out onto the floor with his hand close to the bottom of his face.  
  
Tokio's eyes remained open on the body in front of her, he wasn't dead because she could easily see his rising and falling form. His lips parting and closing every so often. She was stunned, unable to move from her spot. Maybe she just was to runaway or slam the door closed and fine Aiko, but she just couldn't move. Then, a hand landed on her shoulder, startling the woman a bit but only enough to make her look behind herself. A dark blue jacket covered her vision and soon afterward she felt his hand make his way down to hers to remove it's grip from the shoji and the soft rubbing sound of wood against wood made its way to her ears.  
  
"Hajime."  
  
Releasing her hand from his he turned himself around and began to walk down the engawa. Leaving a very shocked wife behind him, without him knowing it she was shaking inconsiderably.  
  
"Hajime....."  
  
He didn't stop, but just continued his way down the porch, his boots making clicking sounds against it.  
  
"Tell me....."  
  
No, she wouldn't be able to handle the truth, she would be afraid of it so the best thing was for him to stay quiet.  
  
"Please Hajime.......tell me."  
  
How irritating, she just wouldn't leave the subject alone, maybe he was just growing to soft with her being his wife. Saitou stopped in his tracks as he listened to Tokio's mumbles. She needed to learn on her own that she couldn't always have someone show her the way she needed to go to find answers.  
  
"Ask him when he wakes up."  
  
With those last words he wandered away, her head felt heavy and her eyesight quickly made it's way down to the boards under her. He wouldn't tell her, she would have to ask the man that had the answer, either that, or ask the only other person that knew of it.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Tofu!"  
  
The market place was busy as usual; people here to buy things that were needed back at home. The two men were very tired from their long journey from China to Yokohama then Osaka then to Tokyo, really, the man that they were going to meet had to bring them back to a place they thought they would never see again. Unlike the common folk, the taller of the two had black short spiked hair and a few old scars on his face. The shorter one, which looked about the age of twenty, had orange hair tugged back into a messy ponytail, or what ever it truly was.  
  
They had stopped by an inn earlier, dropping off their stuff on large bags. Both seemed extremely tired from their traveling, slightly leaning forward as they walked in the direction that they were going.  
  
"Oi, what do you think that this guy wants?" Said the taller of the two, a piece of wood sticking out of the side of his mouth.  
  
"Whenever a guy hires you pal, they always want dirty work done."  
  
The shortest gave a stiff sigh, Japan; a country in which they had protected during the years of the Tokogawa Shogunate had become a bustling place of foreigners and a place of fake piece. It was just like what his old friend had told him, the imperialists were hoping for a fake peace, the Meiji era. The place in which they were proceeding to was called the Akabeko, a fine restaurant for many people.  
  
"Hey, Shinpachi-san do you think that we'll meet anyone from our days."  
  
"I really have no idea...."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The smell of roasting meat made her stomach to turn upside down, and the thought of them chopping off a chicken's head made her gag. A sweaty hand went up to her forehead, feeling a bit queasy she set down the cup of green tea and took a deep breath. Today wasn't really the greatest of days for her, the sun pouring all of its heat down onto her healing world.  
  
Customers seemed to be rushing in from the heat for every second or two there would be the same old boring line again and again.  
  
"Welcome to Akabeko!"  
  
Why was she hear again, oh yes that's right, to get out of the sun and have a nice green tea to pass by the time. She had some extra money so it couldn't be much of a problem.  
  
"Hey Shinpachi-san, I'd have to say that she is a beauty wouldn't you agree?"  
  
'Shinpachi?'  
  
"Hai, hai, very much so Sano!"  
  
'Sano?'  
  
Aiko retracted her stunned gaze from the cup in her hands to the front door of the restaurant. Two men, short and tall stood in the middle of the hallway, grinning as big as perverted men could. Their faces covered in sweat and dirt, and their bangs stuck to their foreheads like rice paper and glue. Rather disgusting, men were the most filthiest things on the planet..........what was she saying?  
  
Men......Okita......Men......Okita......  
  
What was she thinking, Okita is a man!  
  
Aiko gave a sigh of defeat.....  
  
'Okay –not- all men are that bad.' Was Aiko's only reasoning, but the fact that they were calling each other 'Shinpachi' and 'Sano' really shocked her. As they began to walk down the hallway, Aiko's breathing nearly dropped, it was them. Nagakura looking much older then he did back in the past, and Harada, well scars and longer hair only changed about him. Some of the people from the Shinsengumi were still alive.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Flashback  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The sun finally covered its rays from the fields before the great port of Osaka, the birds already starting to nest themselves in the trees. Cold darkness making its way upon all of their backs, a little girl looks up at her confused sister. Short black hair swishing back and forth, an old Shinsengumi haori she wore, and holding onto her hand was not her father, but a man who always appeared to be around her sister now. Short orange hair that ended right above the ears and blue eyes that looked at the disappointed girl.  
  
Then the man noticed her stare at him and glanced down very confusedly, noticing that he was looking behind her, the older girl looked back to see the younger one. The girl gave a smile of relief, closing her eyes just like someone else had before her. Her sister's eyes softened as they continued on their journey into Osaka.  
  
The sound of grass shredding made everyone stop a whole remaining group of men stood with their swords tucked to their sides. Jumping out of the weeds and into the view of others, a man with yellow eyes starred painfully into the one in front. The man who was being starred down by looked back to the children that had been running along a man with orange hair.  
  
"Take Takara and run."  
  
(End)  
  
Aiko stood up from her spot by the table, wondering if they were going to recognize who she was. Step by step they got closer, both of them acting high and mighty as they walked by men, women, and children. But Aiko didn't care; she'd make them realize who she was. First it was Nagakura, not paying any heed to her presence as he walked on by. Quickly and gracefully she walked right by him as well, 'What a –stiff- you've become!' Next was Harada, who looked at the young woman as he strolled on by with a provocative look, but soon became as stiff as a board, and looked back to her slowly passing body.  
  
Grabbing Nagakura's shoulders and tugging him back to where he was; Harada made him stare at the leaving woman. Not getting the point of his older companion Nagakura just simply ignored his friend's behavior and continued to walk after the lady in a striped orange kimono, but was once again pulled back by Harada and knocked on the head by his fist.  
  
"ITAI! I'm not a punching bag Sano, what is it?!"  
  
"That woman, she was!"  
  
"Um sirs, are you going to follow me?"  
  
Both Nagakura and Harada looked back to the woman who had been patiently waiting for them to follow her. Her brown hair tied up into a bun and her eyes closed, eyebrows slightly raised at the men. Nagakura's eyes narrowed at his comrade, now look what he had done they have a person to meet, can't he even see that?!  
  
"Oi, let's go already Sano!"  
  
Harada couldn't help but look at the retreating form in the hallway; she had grown up so much so that at first he didn't even recognize her. Releasing a kept up sigh, Harada turned back to his short friend and continued on his way up the stairs. They were old stairs he could easily tell that because of how rotten they looked. But compared to China, Japan was certainly a poor country right now.  
  
Maybe after their meeting they would be able to talk to the girl for old time's sake. Reaching the top of the staircase the two were ushered to a small room where the only light that was visible was a small candle sitting on a square table in the middle of the room. Behind all this was a dark figure in a black hood and cape, an envelope lying in front of him. The pair quickly found themselves sitting at the head of the table in front of the shadowed figure. They sat quietly waiting for the figure to start the ominous conversation. Harada slapped his hands behind his head and looked at the person ahead of him.  
  
"So what is it that you want? Your woman cheating on ya? A few grandparents taken out to get you wealthy. Or merely just a guy you don't like, you name it, we'll do it!"  
  
Nagakura shook his head and sighed out dejectedly, "Sano."  
  
Harada looked down at the slouching Nagakura who appeared to be tired from all of the traveling.  
  
"Hey come'on, I'm hungry, you're sleepy, and we have no money! How 'bout we get this thing over with and get some grub!"  
  
A dark and mysterious sigh came the silhouetted person who had his arms now resting on the table.  
  
"Actually, I would like you to kill the Okashira Phoenix."  
  
Immediately, Harada and Nagakura stiffened but soon loosened up when the thought of the man must have been joking. Looking back at each other, they began to laugh their little hearts out.  
  
"Ya jokin' right?"  
  
An uncomfortable silence passed between the three that made Harada and Nagakura realize that the man was stupid. Nagakura's logical part suddenly kicked in.  
  
"-The- Okashira Phoenix."  
  
"Yes."  
  
The same thought came into their minds, 'Is this guy serious?'  
  
The man leaned forward into the candlelight showing the two a very bemused expression.  
  
"I'll even pay you extra if you do this."  
  
Without even thinking, Harada's hand flew into the air and a wide grin crossed his face. He was finally going to get food!  
  
"I'm IN!"  
  
A more regretful slouch came over Nagakura as he silently prayed, 'Kami help us now.' He didn't know what in the world they had gotten themselves into but he did know that it wasn't an easy job like the rest. The man's hand touched the envelope on the table and he pushed it toward the men on the other side. Both looked down at the white wrapper under their noses and returned their gazes to the mysterious man.  
  
"Inside this you will see all the information that you need to know."  
  
With this said the man stood from his side of the table and left the rather dark room. Following his figure as he disappeared out of the light. Harada smiling his little heart out and Nagakura simply glaring at him, he would do anything to get some food in his stomach. Really, it was amazing how much this guy could eat.  
  
"Do you have any idea on what you just got ourselves into you big MORON!"  
  
Glancing back at his angry friend, he starred confusedly into the little guy's blue eyes.  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"BAKA!!"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita residence  
  
4:00 PM  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A slow soft sound came from the front door and behind it was the sweating Aiko. Beads of sweat rolled down the front of her face, it was usually one of these days when she would stay in the house and do more housework. Her heavy pink kimono slowing her down ever so slightly, she needed a nice drink of water. Her hand used the wall for some support as she began to walk into the colder confines of Tokio-san's house. The smell of fresh soba filling the air inside the house, if it weren't for the heat she would've become hungry. Walking into the kitchen she found Tokio mixing many ingredients for tonight's dinner, there by her was a bucket full of water where she could possibly get a drink.  
  
"Tokio, may I have some water?"  
  
Tokio jumped and turned around to look at the smiling Aiko, her hands at her sides as she walked closer to the elder woman.  
  
"Oh Aiko you must get out of that kimono, it is certainly to hot to wear it now." Said the concerned mother as she starred at Aiko; even she couldn't wear her nice kimonos anymore. Today she just decided to wear an old kimono, one that her father long ago gave her. It was white and her obi was a delicate green, kind of matching her mother-like features.  
  
"Ano . . . Tokio, where did Okita go to?"  
  
The wooden spoon that was in her hand nearly dropped into the pot, 'That's right Okita was still in his room.  
  
"He's in his room sleeping."  
  
Sleeping, Okita never slept during the day unless he had . . . . Aiko took a step away from the woman who had once again begun on the soba, for some odd reason she didn't feel thirsty anymore. Her body quickly ran out of the kitchen making loud thumping noises as she did so. She had to make her way to his room, last time that this happened he fell unconscious and then began to act strange after that. He spent less time with her after that night, he'd talk more to Saitou and less to her. No, she wouldn't let him be alone right now, he had been away from her for to long.  
  
Aiko's hand desperately reached for his shoji, at the rate she was going she could've broken down the door. Slamming the door open, she let in the light, which had disappeared from Okita's room. The sight she saw made her fall to the floor in weariness, there on the floor was Okita's sleeping body. Was there anything she could do for him, could she possibly help to take away his pain? Leaning forward onto the palms of her hands, Aiko tried desperately to retrieve all the air that she had lost. Taking a deep breath she stood up once again and stumbled over to the futon that was at the end of the room. Her hands removed the pillow from the top of it and set it down beside her. Next, she tugged on the heavy fabric to lay it out into a bed.  
  
She knew that he was ill, she knew ever since she was a little girl that he had tuberculosis. Someday it will consume him whole and he will lay victim to the disease, coughing up the very thing that kept him alive. Aiko had to shove out those thoughts, to think of his death would only bring her into worry. Grabbing onto his gi, Aiko tugged on it to pull him onto his futon. She only managed to get him half on, her body beginning to only feel tired from moving his body. Guessing that it was more than enough for the moment, she picked up his legs and relocated them onto the blanket. Taking a deep breath Aiko kneeled beside him, peering down to his clammy face she began to replay the images with him and her together.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Hey boss, aren't yer wife waitin' for yer to come home?"  
  
Saitou looked above the newspaper that he was silently reading to see the very top of the man's head. Sure enough there was long blonde hair sticking up, Chou the sword collector was standing there concerned as usual. Flicking his cigarette bud, he laid down the newspaper onto many other newspapers and stared at the man in front of him.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Ain't she gonna be worrien her little head off if you don't come home soon?  
  
"Ahou."  
  
Dropping his gaze back down to the picture in the newspaper, Saitou starred at it only for a moment before folding it and sticking it in his coat pocket. A picture that Okita would be more than willing to see at the time. That man had been doing so much to help Saitou, he would leave home and go searching through town to see if he could find any suspicious looking characters. He would leave someone very dear to him just to help Saitou find anyone who might be linked to the Okashira.  
  
Standing up from his paper-covered desk, he finally decided that he was going home. If he stayed any longer he wouldn't be worrying just Tokio. The wolf's eyes fell upon Chou the yellow haired moron, who was frightened by something behind him. Both eyes were wide open and his mouth slightly dropping to one side. Turning around, Saitou only came face to face with lightning, and in it was a silhouetted figure on the nearest house. Another flash of lightning came and the figure had disappeared.  
  
'Okashira Phoenix.'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The upcoming storm began to make Qi nervous, if it started to rain in the summer then that was a clue of bad fortune. Not only that the rain would make the roofs slippery making it hard for her to jump from building to building. The clouds soon covered the moon's gaze on Tokyo; drops of water touched her running prone. She needed to find shelter quickly; another pounding jump she made pushing herself high into the sky. It was only when she landed that she felt her foot slip from under her. Losing her balance Qi made her decent downwards onto the streets of mud, a thick texture covering most of her clothing. Never in her life had she lost her balance, it was something that her father most forbid.  
  
'Losing your balance in a battle can cause either your death or the death of others!'  
  
Her left arm pushed her off the ground to stand up from the ground that was becoming moist with raindrops. Straightening her back and raising her head to view of the long street, Qi narrowed her eyes in the darkness. Nothing, rain, buildings and everything else looked the same from her past. Oh yes, how could she have forgotten her past, one full of doubt and of fear. She could remember how pathetic she was, crying only because she had fallen. A smirk crossed her features, those were the days when the Shogunate ruled Japan, days where her father was widely known.  
  
Stomping her right foot onto the earth, Qi managed to push herself into the sky once more and land on the building that had made her slip. Again starting off in a quick jog on the narrowed part of the building, leaping from one construction to the next she came to a long gate in which tiles were not used. She hopped over to the ledge and stopped midway in her tracks; there was a girl with a white umbrella sitting in the middle of the rain. Qi, with her natural instincts, ducked down to a sitting position. The woman wore a rose-colored kimono; maybe because of the darkness it had become an even darker color then what it was suppose to be.  
  
Suddenly, Qi could feel her own heart jump when the lady in front of her looked up from the ground and connected her sight with the younger girl on the gate. Standing up as she continued to stare into the younger one's eyes, for some odd reason she couldn't turn from them. Qi had troubles moving and grabbing her knife for her hand refused to actually move out of its place. Something had came across her, and that something wouldn't let go and that something was her face. Qi knew that face as if it were still yesterday; it was just those eyes that shocked her more then anything. Here she was sitting on a ledge with brown pants and shirt the only thing keeping them together was her ribbon that tied at her waist. Then the woman in front of her had long black hair cascading down her rosy kimono with her hand holding onto the umbrella.  
  
It was her sister, it was the only person she could really hold onto......  
  
'Aiko-chan.'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next Chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
.... I really don't know yet.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: EHEHEHE! I am now a 'REALLY bad Okita-sama fan' for I have now in my own possession a *drum roll, holds up long piece of fabric turning out to be a blanket* A OKITA-SAMA BLANKET!!!!!! *laughs hysterically* *cough, cough* guess to much laughing..  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Reviews  
  
* * * * * *  
  
OH do I love you all for reviewing, man was I surprised by the amount of reviews I got for this chapter.  
  
AngryBee: *raises eyebrow* So you liked that part EH? Sad to say it I got a lot of help from my best best best friend MysticInca, I just watched and looked over to see any mishaps. Yeah, Tokio does have a miscarriage kinda scared me when you said you'd sick Okita on anyone that stole some of your work...so I ran behind a door and looked over my shoulder just in case you thought I was lying. Phew, what a relief!  
  
JadeGoddess: WOW, another reviewer, I'm going to say what AngryBee once said to me "Yes, come with me! Come into the darkness" or light, whichever u prefer.  
  
CeeCee: Yeah, but sad to tell you this...READ Hajime and Tokio made by AngryBee, or if you have already please just tell me what ya think!  
  
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Fanfic by ione 


	10. Chapter 9: Terrifying Experience

AN: Cool, coolness, Kool, kwel, there's so many 'COOL' words out there when I think about it. This story is going good on it's tracks and it hasn't hit any really thick brick walls yet. **Sighs** I'm to devoted to this darn story.... Alright people, if you have ever listened to Linkin Park's song "My December" then listen to this, I now think that this is the best song for Aiko and Okita. KK, this is where angst starts to develop.......  
  
Disclaimer: **Drools** Okita... **Drools some more** PRETTY I wanna pet you... **Realizes someone is reading this** Don't you hate it when you end up falling in love with anime characters that may have existed but are dead. **Sighs**  
  
~ * ~ Means a dream for now on  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 9: Terrifying Experience  
  
* * * * * *  
  
There she was in the darkness with her eyes not resembling what she was when she was younger. Her eyes no longer wanted to bear the weight of the world on her small shoulders and her eyes now deep and more womanly then why she had last seen her. Qi tried to swallow but her body was in complete and utter shock. Was this woman who was standing before really this sister she had seen so long ago, could she be the one who she looked up to all these years.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko couldn't help but stare at the girl sitting on the ledge, the girls eyes were so narrow, so angered that with those eyes she could almost pass for a female version of Saitou. Time froze altogether; Aiko lost the sound of the rain falling onto the ground.  
  
"Ano....."  
  
Her hair darkened the girl's eyes and her body immediately tensed to the one word.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The words startled her almost to the point that she was going to cry right then and there. Her sister didn't remember her; this was the undoing that made her stand up. She starred at the woman who stood in the middle of the courtyard. The thought that her sister wasn't able to remember her could help her run away more quickly then before. Before turning and jumping from the ledge, Qi got one last glance at the confused woman. Since she didn't recognize her in wouldn't hurt saying what she was now.  
  
"Okashira Phoenix."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Eh?  
  
Who was that?  
  
Okashira Phoenix?  
  
Aiko continued to stare at the empty ledge from where this so-called 'Okashira Phoenix' girl had sat. Giving a sigh of weariness, she turned around back to the engawa and patted the umbrella to get off all the remaining raindrops. Rain in the summer time was rather strange, especially at night. Right now she didn't care for all she wanted was sleep, a joyous sleep where she can regain her energy. Putting down the umbrella she made her way to her room, only footsteps later when she came upon the shoji to Okita's room. Silently opening the rice-paper door, she walked into his room and sat down beside the darkened form of the man she loved. Pulling back the thick covers, she did her best to sneak into bed with him. Wearing his clothing and her wearing her kimono, she had slept all alone for so long, she needed all this time to be with him. Resting her head above his shoulder Aiko fell asleep, tomorrow she wouldn't let him leave with Saitou again.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
June 7, 1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Chirp..  
  
'Birds, why are they always so noisy?'  
  
Without opening his eyes, Okita laid there breathing in all the morning fragrances. The warmth of the bed almost made him wish that he didn't have to do anything but sleep all day, but there was something that was with him. Opening his eyes to only a slit, he could see a black mass in front of him, then when he finally moved his hand feeling came to his body. Her warm subtle breathing hitting his chest and a hand loosely grabbing his gi.  
  
'Aiko.'  
  
His hand went for hers touching it so softly that she wouldn't be able to wake up from it. Suddenly, her hand tightened and her head moved closer to his chest. Aiko's head lifted from its place till it was in line with his, a small grin crossed her face.  
  
"Good morning Souhsi."  
  
Greeting her smiling face with his own Okita gave a small and short grin then began to pull her closer to him. Closing his eyes once more he took in a deep breath and released it steadily, still feeling the drowsiness of the morning. His free hand slowly moved up her side, examining all the delicate curves that her body possessed. Aiko, becoming very sensitive to his touch, tried to bring her face closer to his. Her lips pressed against his in a passionate motion, and soon Okita's hand shot to her face to gently pull her back. Not even daring the thought of kissing her back after even one of his coughing fits, he knew better.  
  
"Good morning Aiko."  
  
Aiko's forehead furrowed in light frown as Okita pulled away from her kiss. His hand still gently caressing her cheek while she stared into his bright eyes.  
  
"Okita?"  
  
His hand moved and gently covered her lips with his fingers, "Hush, Aiko, everything is fine. I just have many things planned for today and with you kissing me like that." His eyes then grew dark as he huskily murmured the rest; "I would not have gotten out of bed for a long time."  
  
Aiko blushed as she buried her face into his chest and sighed happily. This is where she belonged, right here in the arms of the man she loved. But the fire had already been lit, and with the knowledge she now possessed, Aiko couldn't help but be tempted.  
  
"Ano, Okita. It's still rather early." She forced herself to look into his eyes as the implications of her open phrase hit him.  
  
Okita could feel his blood rush to area's not mentioned in polite conversation as Aiko's innocently whispered words flowed over him. 'Oh dear Kami. He really didn't need this right now.' Slowly with a conviction he never knew he possessed, he carefully pulled away from her welcoming body.  
  
"Aiko, I must go." And yet his body seemed to protest against him. 'Its cold out there! Are you insane! There's a nice warm body right here next to you and its willing.'  
  
Okita groaned as he quickly moved away from the futon in which Aiko was now laying. His eyes closed and his fists clenched tightly at his sides, Okita struggled to gain control of his mutinous body. 'Down boy!'  
  
Aiko smiled. She slowly slid out of the futon and wrapped her arms around Okita's waist.  
  
"Soushi, what's wrong?"  
  
Why oh why did she have to be so tempting! The loss of her innocence created a monster that Okita really, really wanted to tame...er NO! No, he had to gather his control. Okay remember breath....count to ten!  
  
One, "Soushi...." Ack!  
  
Two, think happy thoughts....wait no, think of Saitou!  
  
Three, "Are you okay, Soushi..." Damn it! Saitou in a tutu!  
  
Four, Aiko is just a sister! A very voluptuous, soft, sweet....Ahhhh!  
  
Five, Deep breaths, deep and heavy....heavy and deep....breathing...oh for crying out loud!  
  
Six, :: cries ::  
  
Aiko smirked. She could see the internal struggle going on within Okita's mind and with her newly discovered instincts she tested how far he would go until he cracked. Slowly she moved before him and set her small hands on his shoulders, a coy smile touching her lips as she neared his mouth. Aiko almost ruined it by giggling when she heard the soft counting coming from Okita's tightly closed mouth.  
  
"Soushi..." she murmured as she drug out the syllables of his name in a lengthy purr.  
  
Aiko watched in amusement as his eyes shot open and closed in on hers, with a wicked grin Aiko quickly pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss.  
  
Several thoughts went rampaging through Okita's mind, and sadly none of them included pushing Aiko away. That was until the real reason for him keeping his distance returned with a vengeance, 'Your sick! Worse than sick! You don't want her to catch this!'  
  
Okita swiftly pulled away, his eyes wide and his balance unstable. Without warning Okita let out a startled yelp as he fell backwards over the small writing table he kept beside his futon. Aiko crumbled in giggles as Okita landed haphazardly on the ground, one thin leg laying on top the small table.  
  
"Soushi, are you okay?" Aiko finally managed to speak in between giggles.  
  
A sharp glare was her reply as Okita carefully tried to untangle himself from the table and floor. Carefully adjusting his clothing, Okita peered at the giggling Aiko through his bangs a small smile touched his lips, 'you wanna play like that, eh?'  
  
Aiko couldn't stop the laughter that was bubbling up from her belly. It had been too long since she had felt this happy and it seemed her body was going to make up for lost time. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Aiko glanced up at Okita and froze. Oh dear.  
  
"KAAAAIII!"  
  
"Eeep!"  
  
BAM!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Mmm..mm.mmmm.mm," Tokio hummed lightly to herself as she washed the morning meals vegetables.  
  
CRASH!  
  
Tokio jumped. What on earth? But as she was about to run and check a sudden burst of laughter echoed down the hallway. Tokio smiled when she realized whom the laughter belonged too. Tokio turned back to her vegetables as her husband wandered into the room, his usual sneer in place.  
  
"Ahou's..."  
  
Tokio giggled softly behind her hand before replying, "Don't you remember those days where you would knock down walls to get to me Hajime?"  
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow to his giggling wife and then replied mockingly, "Only because you locked yourself in your room."  
  
Tokio simply waved off her husband's reply as she returned to her preparations.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Afternoon  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"GGGGGRRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWLLLLLL!!"  
  
Immediately Nagakura looked back at his friend who sat wobbling in the corner.  
  
"Already! We just ate only a few minutes ago!"  
  
Giving a cheesy grin to the man who held an ink brush, which he was currently using, Harada fell forward and landed onto his chin.  
  
"I can't help it, the food here is just to good, it's so much different from China's."  
  
Twitch, twitch . . .  
  
'Oh for crying out loud!'  
  
Nagakura put down his brush onto the page that he was currently working on and went for his sleeve. There was no way he was going to sleep with a growling man right next to him so he might as well give him the rest of his MONEY in order to stop his whining. Instantly Nagakura stopped his motions, he couldn't believe it; he was treating Harada as if he were one of his children. Yep, it was for sure; he had been with his children for way to long.  
  
Pulling out his hand, all he saw in his hand was about 50 yen. What the heck, just give to him since he's always the one hungry.  
  
"Hey, take this."  
  
Tossing it over to the man that had rivers of tears coming from his eyes, the pouch of money landed straight in front of him. Nagakura turned around and continued to his writing. Harada's hands went straight for the dark blue pouch in front of him and jumped up with joy. Without another glance at his friend, Harada shot for the door.  
  
Nagakura began to grind his teeth together and the long brush in his hand appeared as if it were about to break.  
  
'He didn't even say THANK YOU!'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"YAY! FOOD, NOODLES, MISO SOUP, DUMPLINGS, FOOD!"  
  
One of the most biggest grins swept across Harada's face like nothing ever before. Shinpachi was so kind to him. Stomping down the staircase, he made a sharp turn for the restaurant. He was finally going to get some food. Then, he stopped, how much did his buddy give him anyway? His curiosity peaked and he suddenly couldn't help but to open the tiny pouch and look inside. His eyes narrowed and his mouth nearly hit rock bottom. His dark arms rose to the sky as he began to protest in the middle of the street.  
  
"That JERK! Only 50 yen! NO!!! I wanted miso soup, noodles, even dumplings, and probably drink it down with some sake. What is the WORLD coming to?!"  
  
Without even realizing it, he had received a crowd of stares, and some people even began to think that the man had gone crazy. Breathing in and out like a maniac, Harada looked over to the people who hadn't stopped starring him and went menacingly narrow-eyed.  
  
"What ARE you looking at!"  
  
Becoming very frightened, the people ran off into the direction that they had originally been going.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita residence  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko's hand shot for the back of his gi in a desperate attempt to keep him with her. Okita felt the jolt to the back of his neck, quickly falling back to a warm and soft body. 'Give up Soushi, you're not going to help Saitou-san today.' He told himself. Muffled giggles came behind him as he could suddenly feel a hand pushing on his back.  
  
"Soushi . . . can't breath." Came Aiko's low voice from under him. Okita closed his eyes and rolled off the squirming woman from underneath. For some reason, he felt oddly tired, almost as if he hadn't slept for a night. Aiko's chuckles soon softened as they laid there, her hand brushing away all the stray black hairs as she watched him slowly drift to sleep. Managing to get herself closer to him, she rested her head under his chin and kissed him one more time. Closing her eyes finally, Aiko also fell into a deep sleep with the man she loved.  
  
~ * ~  
  
Cherry blossoms, a sweet fragrance that seemed to fill the air around her. Everything was so beautiful; a field of grass surrounded by some trees and the smell of flowers surrounded her. Aiko closed her eyes and fell back into the field of grass, piecing of it slowly brushing her face as she lay there with a smile. A slow breeze blowing through the meadow. Aiko opened her eyes to look upon a face in front of her. Half frightened and half confused, she lay there gazing up at the youthful face. A smile touching her face as the girl leaned back.  
  
Sitting up Aiko glanced around to look for the girl but it so happened that she was no longer around to be seen. Aiko blinked and stared into the dense forest before her. Then she finally sighed thinking that the girl had run off until something covered her eyes. Childish laughter echoed through her mind, and the feeling of shivers ran up her spine. The woman quickly looked behind her, only to see the little girl yet again. Long black hair cascaded down onto her pale pink kimono covered with old blood. Jumping at the mere sight of it, Aiko widened her eyes and looked up to the girl's face. A face that was quickly becoming coming with its own blood, openings of flesh ran down the side of her face and other parts of her body. An old horror waking up within the child's body, but the only thing that Aiko's eyes remained on was the curled gentle smile on her face.  
  
Then the girl's body collapsed in front of Aiko, leaking crimson from her body. She wanted to scream she wanted out of this. She dropped her paled expression to the little girl lying awkwardly on the grass; in her hair were two white feathers. Swallowing hard, she brought her shaky hand up to her chest. What was going on?  
  
"It's frightening isn't it?" Came an older woman's voice, which was so calm and steady that Aiko instantly looked away from the blood. When quite suddenly she saw a mirror image of the girl that had just died but only older. Both of them staring at each other, and then she saw something that maybe she wasn't ready to see. The woman she was looking at almost resembled Okita.  
  
~ * ~  
  
Aiko shot up from the spot she where she was lying, taking in deep breaths and her eyes stayed wide. Her hand grasping the front of her loose kimono, showing her bony right shoulder and collar bone. She glanced down to the peacefully sleeping man beside her. The day was slowly disappearing; shadows began to make their appearance. Finding his hand she rested hers on top of his, she bent down once more and cuddled even closer to him. Her hands slipping into his gi, she laid there, forgetting even about why she had woken up in the first place and again falling asleep.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Long looked to the sunset, he needed to find it, find the only thing that would drag her into the trap. Anything, he didn't care what just anything. Grinding his teeth he kneeled down on the rooftop and waited. His black eyes narrowing at all the walking people on the street, many colors of clothing painting the streets. Standing up he turned and ran in the direction of the forest, he'd find it soon, no doubt about that.......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: *ione dives under desk and hides from all the incoming fists* Um....Teehee, sorry that this chapter was a *Little* shorter then the rest but you know how it goes, I had a loss of idea's for this chapter.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
In the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?" Nagakura bumps into someone strange and takes him out for a little stroll. Harada, what are you doing to that poor crow!? Then Aiko leaves for a good view of the fireflies alone. Wait Aiko, don't LEAVE!!!!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Reviews  
  
* * * * * *  
  
I oddly feel jewed......  
  
MysticInca: Gee thanx for the tips, I'll try and not describe the "ROCK" *wink wind* as much any more. Nonetheless, I thank you yet again for helping with my chapter.  
  
CeeCee: Geez girl, you crack me up! To even think that you have so many things to do. Great now I have three people who don't like my writing style GEE thanx everyone! I feel so lonely all of a sudden.. I need a hug...  
  
Inca_dove: LOL! Yeah inca is a little crazy, just can't wait for next chapter.......it's going to be so grand!  
  
JadeGoddess: Yeppers, but that isn't all yet, there is still so much more that's going to twist everyone's minds......that's if I write it correctly.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
AN: **Jumps on Okita blanket and laughs** Lee PUUURRR  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	11. Chapter 10: A Capture

AN: Yeah, what a comical relief last chapter was. Like I said a few chaps before, I'm am so thinking this up as I go, but there is a plot. I'm just not going to tell everyone about it yet because well . . . I'm stingy that way. LOLS! Hope you guys liked last chapter and . . . um . . . like this chapter TEEHEE! WOOHOO, eleven chapters and goin! SWEET! Just to tell you all, I hardly doubted that I would get this far in this story since I never ever got this far in any other story. My last story I worked on only got to four chapters and I still kinda uh need to work on it, but not until this story is FINISHED!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 10: A Capture  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'A window opens  
  
And you're not there  
  
I call to the ocean  
  
And then I am aware  
  
You've left me here  
  
And now I'm alone  
  
You seemed to disappear  
  
And I whisper words unknown  
  
Don't leave me  
  
Please stay here  
  
Don't leave, my Sakura tree  
  
Wipe away my tears  
  
Let me find you again  
  
Let me hold you in my arms  
  
Don't let me be afraid of what you're in  
  
Please my love stay out of harm . . .'  
  
~ ione  
  
* * * * * *  
  
June 9, 1879  
  
* * * * * *  
  
'Kill the Okashira Phoenix. I will help you out by finding bait to lure the person in. Later on I will send you a crow. On its leg it will tell you the location of the bait at the time and you are to capture the individual. I will pay you 1,000 yen if you bring me back the head of this Okashira Phoenix.'  
  
Nagakura looked at it intently; skimming through the messy script which contained the words that were rather strange.  
  
'1,000 yen, Kami where is he getting this stuff?'  
  
His eyes narrowed a bit and his hand went up to his chin, there wasn't anything strange neither about this writing nor about this paper but the envelope? The envelope wasn't as fine as normal Japanese rice paper; it actually felt more rough then usual.  
  
"Oi, Shinpachi, if ya continue to stare at that paper, ya'll begin to get wrinkles in ya forehead."  
  
Nagakura blinked a couple of times and looked over at his lazy companion. Sitting in the corner was Harada; his hands supporting his head and a little piece of grass sticking out of the corner of his mouth. In all his years in China living with a growing family did Nagakura ever realize that he'd be here working as a hit man. A grin went swept across his face as he began to think, 'If my wife were here, she'd be torturing me.'  
  
Deciding to finally put down the piece of paper on the table in the room, Nagakura grabbed his nearby tanto and stood up. Stuffing it tightly in his gi he turned around and proceeded to the closed door.  
  
"A tanto eh? I thought that those were things made for children."  
  
Nagakura snorted at his friend, "Can't carry a sword anymore, gotta carry this tiny thing."  
  
"Yeah, whatever."  
  
Waving his friend off, Harada sighed and then felt ease come over his body. It had been so long since he was able to relax like this before the Bakumatsu. Yes, those times where the greatest of his life, of course he had to take care of a little brat but hey, when he looked back at those times he could always laugh at them. How he would fall into the easiest of traps made by Kondo-san's daughter. Then there was the time where he tried using a sword. He wasn't much for swords though, he usually used a spear in his battles and no one knew how to protect against that.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The streets held many people in them, people of every size. Yet they tend to forget what Japan was before this Meiji era. If there were one thing that was for sure, he would never forget it. The bloodshed, the sacrifices, and the hope to either kept the old or to bring about a new, no, the blood of others would always dirty his hands. But it was not as if he felt horrible for putting those people to death, it was just a run of bad luck. It had it coming to them, turning their backs onto the Shogun on becoming rebels. That's what he hated, and so did many of the others in the Shinsengumi.  
  
His purple eyes searched the markets, which were full of candies, vegetables, and meats. He wasn't surprised though; nothing had really changed about Japan. Just because swords were taken out of the picture that doesn't mean things of bad could happen once again. Nagakura smiled, this place almost reminded him of Kyoto.  
  
Turning a corner he ran into something rather unexpected. It had almost felt like he just ran into a brick wall but noticed that the thing he ran into had also been pushed.  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention!"  
  
What a rather boyish voice . . .  
  
Nagakura opened his purple eyes onto where the boyish voice had came. A young man, with brown hair cut in a western style stood above him holding out his hand. Nagakura was stunned on whom this boy looked so much like. Standing up and ignoring the boy's hand, he nearly had to look up to him in order to see his face. Kami, why did he have to be so short? Then he soon noticed the katana that was held at his hip. 'Was this guy a rebel of this new era, if he is then certainly he's on my side.'  
  
"Good, now that we've got that understood." Nagakura gave him one of his biggest grins, "Let me ask you this, isn't it illegal to carry a sword now- a-days?"  
  
A large sweat-drop went down the back of the boy's head, and as an answer he got a sigh of distress. Yep, the kid knew what he was doing that was for sure. But, it was curious that he wore a western style shirt and even had the haircut to go with it. Though, it seemed that the guy was only skin and bones, his brown hair was a tad bit long. If Harada were here with him, he'd take the boy under his arm and begin to stuff food down his throat.  
  
"Well sir . . ."  
  
SIR! Who the hell calls him 'SIR' . . .  
  
"I'm very sorry for knocking you over like that, but now I must be on my way."  
  
'What?! Right when I just had something to do you just run away, BAKA!'  
  
Quickly grabbing the back of the young man's shirt, Nagakura pulled him down to the rocky ground underneath him.  
  
"Sorry, but your stayin' with me just a little while longer."  
  
The younger man starred up at him frightened of what he was actually planning. Raising his eyebrows worriedly he squirmed under the guy's gaze.  
  
'H . . . He . . . Help me please!'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Somewhere far away . . .  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The sound of birds chirping, the water moving, and the odd but familiar sound of metal striking against more metal. Hmmm, yep, something was going on outside his little dusty hut, but what exactly he was not for sure. Sliding his grimy hands between the twig woven door and the bamboo, Mareo glanced outside. Far off on one of the other huts high up in the trees were two people who always fought each other, Qi and Long. Why they always seemed to fight was undiscovered to the little boy, they would even fight over the littlest of things. Keeping his attention on the gracefully jumping and attacking figures in front of him.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Yes, this was exactly what she needed at this moment, a good fight. She never knew that her sister could be this annoying. Jumping backwards into the air, Qi pulled out her iron fan from its nicely kept place at her leg. Gripping it tightly, she moved her left arm towards Long's neck but was soon blocked by the fabric-covered metal that stayed on his arm. Moving forward Long brought his hand up to his chest and used it and his weight to push his so-called 'Leader' from the snare she had caught him in. Long moved himself backwards then stomped his foot on the old wood and pushed himself into the air. Tucking his arms down to the side of his legs he pulled out the two daggers that he only used in battle. Twirling and then falling with his daggers above his head he came down with a silent 'Thud.'  
  
'Nice move, but clearly seen.'  
  
Qi quickly backed away from this, hastily placing her fan into its slot on her left leg she jumped into the air. But only high enough for her turn around and face the opponent's back, also landing with a silent 'Thud!' Qi launched herself forward to the person who finally realized where she was. Cracking a grin, she grabbed her dagger and pulled up to his face. Qi's smile broadened when she finally saw the anger that had just built up in Long's eyes. Stashing her dagger behind her back, she turned around and began walking away from him.  
  
"That's enough."  
  
Long glared at the retreating woman, 'Enough eh? No, there's plenty more for you to come . . .'  
  
Narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists into tight balls, he looked down on her, the woman who was chosen by his father to become the next Okashira. And in order to do so, she had to kill his father. By now Qi had already made her way down the ropes and onto the ground which had patches of dark green grass on it.  
  
Continuing on in a low whisper, "Yes, you're going to receive more then you bargained for . . . Isami . . . Takara."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Back in Tokyo  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Snore . . .  
  
Snore . . .  
  
Snore . . .  
  
CCCAAAAAAA!!!!!!  
  
"NANI!?"  
  
Literally jumping from his comfortable place in the corner, the man tried to gain back his breath. Looking to where the sound had come, Harada stopped all motions together. On the ledge hopping from one position to another was a large black crow. And on it's leg was a tiny piece of paper wrapped around it.  
  
' Later on I will send you a crow. On its leg it will tell you the location of the bait at the time and you are to capture the individual.'  
  
Carefully moving forward he reached for the paper on the bird's leg and pulled it gently but as he did so the crow's wing began to wildly flap. Now instead of gently grabbing the piece of paper, he captured the crow's leg and undid the white strap on its leg. Pulling it off, Harada looked down at the bird and released it from his grip. The bird immediately went flying out into the sky.  
  
Now looking back down to the crumpled up white strip of rice paper, he let out a long sigh.  
  
"Now, what do we have here?"  
  
Once he opened it, both knee's and hands gave out and the piece of paper, which was in his hand, fell to the floor. He could feel himself do the same graceful decent to the floor as the paper did. His eyes remained wide for the person he was to snatch from their little hole would be the person who long ago he had to take care of.  
  
"Isami Aiko . . ."  
  
Oh Kami, why did he take this job again? Dropping to his hands he began to think on how this girl was anything important to the Okashira Phoenix. Starring down at the little piece of paper that sat in front of him he closed his eyes and stood up. His face going tense and for once Harada had a serious moment.  
  
"Even if she is the daughter of Isami Kondo, I will follow out this job. I am no longer a man in the Shinsengumi, I am now a hit man."  
  
With that said he turned for the door, picking up his katana from its resting-place and picking up an overcoat for him to wear. Harada opened the door and walked out; tonight he would wait for her if not he would snatch her from her place. Walking slowly down the steps he again made his way for the front door, not paying to anyone who starred at him and the sword at his hip. His hand went for the shoji that was closed before him and slammed it open.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Mister, I really need to be going."  
  
Nagakura turned around and glared at the boy, "I have a name ya'know."  
  
The boy looked at him and smiled, of course he knew that this guy had a name, everyone does.  
  
"Nagakura Shinpachi, get it right!"  
  
Closing his eyes he let out a slow sigh, walking along everywhere with a sword in plain daylight was not what he wanted. After all, this era is an era where swords aren't needed. In his hands were the very few things that this man could buy . . . . Children's candy. Maybe this man didn't understand him, he wasn't weak, and he was strong compared to most men.  
  
"So . . ."  
  
Getting caught out of his thought, he looked at Nagakura in front of him and starred at him. Waiting for him to continue on what he was saying. As they walked past all the people in the market he couldn't help but to sigh once more and close his eyes.  
  
Nagakura stopped when the slight movement of a familiar man drifted by. What was Harada doing out..... without any money of course. The moment that he had turned to look at his retreating friend, he met a human wall. That human wall happened to be walking forward and knocked into Nagakura. The food that was once in the young boy's arms had fallen to the ground along with Nagakura. Looking up at the boy with narrow eyes and barely visible pupils he began to speak.  
  
"Oi, that's the second time you've done that."  
  
Standing up and dusting off his backside, he starred at the boy with the attitude that got him into the Shinsengumi in the first place.  
  
"What's your name kid?"  
  
My name? . . . . . Why does he want to know such a thing?  
  
"Ano . . ."  
  
He looked down at all the newly acquired food on the ground but soon saw the face of the older man. Looking up at him he asked again.  
  
"I said what's your name?"  
  
There was a long pause before Nagakura just flat out gave up. Straightening his back he turned around and started off again down the street.  
  
'That boy . . . Doesn't he respect his elders, he's one of the most self- arrogant, pitiful, conniving little-'  
  
"Seta Soujiro."  
  
Nagakura stopped the ill thoughts of the boy and looked back at him with his angry expression still showing. But through the whole time he was starring at him Soujiro was smiling. Narrowing his eyes even more he began to walk away from the contented boy.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fujita Residence  
  
* * * * * *  
  
A hot summer sun cast its rays down onto the town of Tokyo, creating shadows of the homes on signs on the streets. There she sat in the middle of the room, wearing her purple kimono she looked up to the blank walls. Memories flooding into her empty head, memories that she had kept close to her heart. Most of those memories she had only him in them; the good memories were the only ones she would hold onto. But the thoughts that lingered were the only think that could break her heart make her wear the so saddened smile she had gained. Her eyes closed as she dipped her head back down.  
  
"Nothing will ever change, you won't leave me, never."  
  
Standing up from the floor, she glanced to the slowly darkening door. Earlier that day Okita had left, and without saying a word Aiko let him do so. Why she had done so she didn't know. Turning to the door her hands slowly opened it and she walked out. She needed air; she needed to get out of there but quickly. Walking around the corner she bumped into something and could hear the sound of that certain something falling back onto the floor.  
  
"Oof!"  
  
Aiko leaned on the wall for support as she looked down at the young 13 year- old Eiji who laid there as if her were crippled. Eiji looked you from the floor and saw Aiko, a very tired looking Aiko that is. Sitting up from his spot on the engawa, he continued to stare at the older woman.  
  
"Tokio-san said that dinner is ready."  
  
Looking surprised Aiko replied, "So early, why didn't she wait for Saitou- san to come home?"  
  
Eiji shrugged his shoulders and finally stood up taking one more glance at Aiko then retreating back to the main room. Aiko watched him, her eyes softening a bit, she could smell the lovely miso soup that Tokio had prepared so obviously Saitou wasn't planning on coming home tonight. Pushing off the wall Aiko also made her way to the main room where she could hear Tsutomu crying and Tokio hushing him. Walking in seemed to please Tokio a lot, but Aiko had other plans then to stay here and eat. She wanted to go find Okita, because where ever Saitou goes Okita always accompanies.  
  
"Tokio-san, I'm going to leave for a bit okay?"  
  
The other woman's face suddenly dropped from pleased to the expression of sadness.  
  
"Aiko, he won't be coming back for a while how about you stay here and wait for him."  
  
She smiled at the mother, memories instantly flooding her head.  
  
"Gomen nasai, I've done that plenty times for him already Tokio-san, but I think I'm going to go watch the fireflies alone if that'd be alright."  
  
Tokio nodded, if Aiko wanted to be alone there was no stopping it. Turning around Aiko soon made her way to the front door, put on her sandals and walked outside into the deepest and quietest of nights.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
In an alleyway  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Blood, the liquid for life was everywhere, on the walls and making puddles on the ground. Four men lay there, there bowels gushing out of their own bodies and two more slashes to their chest area and their head. Each ones eyes darkened and no life showed in them. He had seen that much of this in his days of the old era, blood and gore always pasted the streets and his uniform. But still, in this peaceful era, which didn't need any weapons, how could someone do this.  
  
His friend bent forward to retrieve a little paper, that paper included the name of the person who done this.  
  
"Okashira Phoenix strikes yet again......."  
  
Saitou glanced up at his still staring companion, "There's nothing we could've done, this guy is as quick as Hijikata and has millions of ways to get out of tight situations."  
  
Okita nodded, his bangs danced as he did so, there was something awkward of this night. Something that kind of scared him, his main question was 'What's going to happen now?'  
  
Saitou kept his gaze at his either drifting off friend, or at a man that he doesn't know. Standing from his place on the ground he began to walk away from the bloody mess. Okita noticed he was leaving but kept on listening to the eerie silence around him, not a bird, tree, or person was making any noise. Okita stared up at the moon, some clouds floated around it. Taking in a quick sigh he began to walk in the direction of home, when he got there he planned on going to sleep, nothing else.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
By a stream  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Aiko watched as all the fireflies floated over the water and by her, each and everyone glowing with magnificence. It was so beautiful; all of their reflections danced as the water slowly drifted on by. She took in a long and relaxing sigh, leaning over the water she also saw the mirror of herself. Black hair straying from the high loose bun, soft brown eyes, and the purple kimono that she loved to wear now. She tried to compare herself to what she looked like back then, but nothing came to mind.  
  
Camouflaging himself behind a tree, Harada stood there fascinated by the close resemblance of her and her mother. Wearing pure black and a mask he stared at the smiling woman by the water. Pushing himself up against the tree he closed his eyes and took in the refreshing smells around him. Reaching deep into his pocket he pulled out a white packet and a folded up cloth. Dabbing some of the contents of the bag onto the cloth he looked back at the girl he once knew. It was going to be a full sprint up to her, he'll try to be as quiet as possible since he didn't want to disturb anybody.  
  
And as he had said, he jumped from behind the tree to see the slowly realizing Aiko. And before she could say anything, she could feel the soft texture of a cloth up against her mouth and nose. Aiko squirmed to get out of his grasp, digging her nails into the strong arms wrapped around her. When he moved his arm up, Aiko's hand dropped quickly pulling away something so sacred to her, her mother's necklace. The crystal fell to the ground unnoticed in all the chaos.  
  
Then, something came over her; her body began to shake violently. Drowsiness was falling over her and her muscles were threatening to give out all together. She didn't want sleep she wanted to be released. But that wouldn't happen for her frail body begin to give out and the hands that stay tightly on the man's arm fell. Her eyesight went blurry and for the first time in her life, Aiko felt a sudden surge of hopelessness. Only one last word was spoken from her mind, a word that she would always keep close to her heart.  
  
'Okita . . .'  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Pacing his way along the stream, he could still feel the strong sorrow in his stomach. He was tired, and worst of all, that sorrow in his stomach was beginning to turn sickly. Okita didn't pay any attention to what was in front of him, shadowing his eyes with his bangs as he strolled farther from where the assassination had occurred. His chest was aching, his stomach was hurting and his head was lost in the entire ruckus.  
  
He'd been walking for a couple of hours now, it was about time for him to go back, and he didn't want to worry Aiko. Turning the corner he made his way to the Fujita residence and went inside. No lights were on by first glance, but when he took off his sandals at the doorway he noticed that there were no smiling faces to greet him. Not a surprise, everyone probably fell asleep while he and Saitou had been wandering about the town. Stepping up onto the mat he began to go to his room where he saw Tokio walk past the hallways exit.  
  
"Tokio-san."  
  
Stopping in her tracks she was instantly greeted by the man's smile. In her arms was the silently sleeping Tsutomu, and she wore her usual green kimono.  
  
"Okita-san welcome back, I see my husband didn't come back with you."  
  
Okita's smile widened as he brought his hand behind his head, "Well, he said he had more work to do."  
  
Tokio's soft smile saddened a bit as she pretended to be only fine with just that information.  
  
"As long as he hasn't gone on one of his journey's I'll be fine."  
  
Okita's eyes also softened but his smile didn't diminish; he could see the pain in her eyes. They almost resembled . . . He stared down at his feet, 'Is that the way Aiko looks when I leave?'  
  
"Are you alright Okita-san?"  
  
Eh?  
  
Looking up to the curious woman all he could do was lie, "Hai, hai just tired."  
  
That wasn't the truth though, he felt more like puking more then anything else. A nausea sweeping over him like the urge to cough. Tokio continued to stare at him until the boy in her arms began to squirm. Then, when she was about to go and put Tsutomu in his room she stopped and glanced at the man in the moonlight. She was startled when she heard him speak something to her.  
  
"Is Aiko in her room?"  
  
Tokio paused between the boy's room and the engawa, hadn't he seen her? She didn't feel the least bit comfortable about this but she told him where she thought Aiko was.  
  
"Aiko-san said she was going to go watch the fireflies tonight. Funny . . ."  
  
The last word caught Okita's attention quickly, his eyes remained on the woman who went to go set down Tsutomu. Following her Okita couldn't help but question her.  
  
"Funny?"  
  
Lifting a finger to her chin and tapping it slightly, she remained by her child and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
"Well, Aiko left about two hours ago, I would think she would've been home by now."  
  
Okita's shoulders slouched and a sweat drop went down his head. Knowing Aiko she'd even stay an hour or two watching the insects glitter about. Sighing, he turned away and began to walk down the engawa.  
  
"I'll go get her, and don't worry, I probably won't be back soon."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
*A hundred days have made me older  
  
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face . . .*  
  
Okita walked down the street, looking closely to see a woman sitting by the water. There were still fireflies out, each one of them soon settling into the grass. Then, an image of Aiko squatting down by the river edge with her hand in the water came to his mind. A grin came over his face, the way he had imagined her had made her look so peaceful, and a woman full of laughter and life.  
  
*A thousand laughs have made me colder  
  
And I don't think I can look at this the same . . .*  
  
He continued to walk forward until something caught his attention, something shining in the moonlights rays. Coming closer to it he bent down and uncovered the object from the dry earth. A beautiful crystal in the shape of a small flower hanging by a long sliver necklace nearly dropped out of his hands.  
  
*But all the miles that separate  
  
Have disappeared now and I'm dreamin' of your face . . .*  
  
Gripping the necklace in his hand, he could've broken into pieces by all the force he was using. Standing up quickly, he looked around for anything, a young woman behind a tree, maybe sleeping in the grass but there was nothing. Aiko was gone, but he couldn't allow that. Starting off in a full sprint Okita desperately looked for the woman he so needed. He had to know if she was alright, he HAD to know!  
  
*I'm here without you baby  
  
But you're still alone in my lonely mind  
  
I think about you baby  
  
And I dream about you all the time . . ."  
  
A sharp pain shot through his chest and left him crippled on the ground. His chest wanting to crush itself from the pain, wanting to make everything worse. He swallowed hard as he tried to push himself off the ground but the weight of himself simply seemed to much for his arms as he went crashing for the earth beneath him. And then it hit him, he could feel it come up with all the pain under it. The urge to cough came sharply as he hopelessly tried to cover his mouth. Coughing, hurting his chest, he closed his eyes from the pain as his stomach muscles tightened.  
  
*I'm here without you baby  
  
But you're still with me in my dreams  
  
And tonight, is only you and me . . ."  
  
Okita opened his eyes finally, but it was something unexpected, he had tears rolling down the side of his nose and then dripping off the top. Right in front of him though, was only a red and black blur, blood. Though his coughing still persisted, he couldn't feel it at all for only one thing remained in his mind. Her laughter, her smiles, her distress, her sadness . . . Only one word was mumbled painfully from his mouth.  
  
"Aiko . . ."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Next Chapter  
  
* * * * * *  
  
In the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?" Aiko wakes up to find she's not at home anymore. What will happen to Okita's pain, and what the heck is happening between the Okashira Phoenix and the mysterious black man . . . Find out in probably another month.......  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Character Notes  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Okita Soushi: Yes, he's still ill, this is an angst ya' know....  
  
Harada Sanosuke: You know, I really wanted him to be funny in this story, and frankly I like the guy in PMK so what the heck. For all of you who don't know and is reading my story but not reviewing, Harada was the Captain of the Tenth squad in the Shinsengumi. He is also a hit man in my story.....  
  
Nagakura Shinpachi: Oh in PMK you have got to love this character! But in this story he isn't as sneaky as he is in the anime. He is the Captain of the second squad in the Shinsengumi.  
  
Qi: The leader of the Art of Phoenix, Qi was very well known in China for her spectacular performance in the martial arts. She was a ninja assassin used by the empress herself since the empress's symbol is the Phoenix. In order to become the well-known leader she had to fight the former leader and kill him. Very little is known about her except the fact that her Japanese name was Takara Isami, meaning that she is the sister of Aiko and the daughter of Kondo and Maemi Isami.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Reviews  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Inca_dove: Okay fine! I'll let you be the first one that I review. I'm glad that you knew who I was talking about in Aiko's dream but tell me Inca, was it a foreshadow of what is to come or what? **raises eyebrow**  
  
JadeGoddess: I've just started on getting people confused but just wait, I love this chapter incredibly . . .  
  
MysticInca: Oh your so nice! COOKIE! Unlike you I don't got those problems with the internet. But tell me, DID YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I KNOW I DID!  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	12. Chapter 11: You Killed Him

AN: Yeah, I think I have about ten more chapters to go before I finish this story . . . Oh well, it's worth it.  
  
Disclaimer: Oh yes, in last chapter I was merely using the song just to put more angst in it, no more, no less, that's all. Looks happily towards mysticInca Arigato! You know, at one time I thought I had a reason to put these stupid things down. I mean, why can't we own these series that we happen to love so much?

* * *

_Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 11: You Killed Him_

_June 9, 1879  
  
Early Morning_

* * *

She stared down at him, blood coursing from his body as he tried desperately to get up. Even from on top of the building's roof she could see the shaking hands and the slow falling tears in the man's eyes. Shaking her head of long wavy black hair she jumped down from the roof to where the man lay. Then squatting by him she removed the thin short black hair from his face only to see the face of a man she once knew very well.  
  
The sight of that same man holding her in the air and laughing made its presence known in her mind. Her hand flew to her temple and pushed on it yet stared down at the sleeping form before her.

* * *

It was blurry, but he could see it come and kneel by him. The pain in his chest gradually numbed itself and it felt as if he couldn't swallow. Blood, his blood was about the only clear thing he could see, why now? Why didn't this happen to him earlier, why now? His heavy eyelids slowly closed as everything went dark in his head. Everything except one thing, she refused to leave him and he was rather glad that his mind allowed her to stay. 

Sighing, Takara slid one arm under his neck and lifted him to a sitting position, his head swinging back and forth as she did so. She stared at him and couldn't believe what she was seeing; this was the man that she knew. A Japanese man that her mind wouldn't let her forget, just like her father and other members. Pulling his right arm over her shoulders she proceeded to stand. His weight caused her to stumble a bit before she actually really stood, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Walking forward she had one hand clutching his other side so that she didn't drop him. Turning into a dark alleyway, Takara and the older man disappeared from the incoming light of the sun.

* * *

_Morning_

* * *

Sunshine, morning was here and yet his friend still hadn't came back yet. Peering through the wooden window out to the street, he could see the apothecary's and restaurant workers begin to open their shops. Nobody walked down the street, not a person that he would recognize. His purple eyes scanned every inch of the outside world and by the time he was done the sun had already risen quite high. Thinking that his friend wasn't going to make an appearance soon, Nagakura stood and walked towards the door, grabbing his tanto on his way. The fresh smells of food filled his lungs and made his stomach growl. The aroma began to lead him to the one place where it was coming from, the kitchen.  
  
"Mmmm. Food." Closing his eyes he let himself drift about but heard a woman's shout as hands turned him around to walk the other way. Nagakura stopped and looked backwards toward the woman who was holding a spatula in one hand and the other resting on her arm. Her face though was something that could and did made him scurry off quickly from the fresh . . . delicious . . . ::cries:: FOOD!  
  
What was he saying, he wasn't Sano, he could live without food for quite a while sometimes.  
  
But today was one of those days where he needed to replenish his energy. Turning around with a huge grin on his face he met the scary woman's anger once again. Pretending he wasn't about to do Nagakura kept spinning and hurriedly walked away. Slouching his shoulders the old man pouted, until he saw something very pleasing. The word 'Akabeko' shone very brightly in front of him, like it was some saving grace for him. Running towards the door he felt a strong tug on the back of his gi. Now who was it that was trying to stop him from eating a nice and delicious meal?  
  
"Oi, ya weren't about to do what I think ya were." Came the familiar voice, "Especially without yar big pal who was out doing his job."  
  
Turning his smaller friend around by the clothing, Nagakura got a nice view of an unhappy face. Nagakura's only response was a weak smile, and as cheesy as ever.  
  
"Ya were weren't cha?" Came an evil expression.  
  
Cheesy grin . . .  
  
Evil frown . . .  
  
Weaker cheesy grin . . .  
  
Big red eyes and an evil frown . . .  
  
Sano? . . .  
  
"Why ya, I otta hurt cha for that one! Ya meanie, commit seppuku, anythin' so that I don't have ta hurt ya!"  
  
Tossing Nagakura back and forth he began to yell at the top of his lungs. Saying words like 'Traitor' or 'Yar so cruel!' There was one thing for sure; Harada wasn't going to make his pal forget all about this. Trying to pry his body from Harada's, Nagakura mumbled under his breath, "Sano, what were you saying?" Stopping in mid-swing, Harada's expression dropped from angry to confused. What was he about to say again? Taking this chance the smaller man jumped away from the stronger man's hold.  
  
"Oh yeah . . . That's right, I was going to tell you what I had to do overnight."  
  
Raising an eyebrow Nagakura said sarcastically, "Since it's you, I'd love all the details of your lovely night."  
  
Jumping back a couple of feet and then approaching his friend with vengeance Harada made his point very clear.  
  
"How dare you think of such thing Shinpachi-san." Harada's nose soon grew even more bigger by his comment as he continued what he was going to say, "I wouldn't do such a thing in my whole life!"  
  
::Nose suddenly flops downwards::  
  
Nagakura looks blankly at his friend and gives an evil grin, "I'm sure you wouldn't Sano."  
  
Pretending he didn't hear Nagakura's smart comment, he looked up to the sky and brought his dark tanned fist toward his chin.  
  
"The truth is yesterday I received that crow with the name attached to it and everything." Retracting his gaze from the sky to Nagakura he frowned, "This guy is totally serious isn't he?"  
  
Staring intensely into the dirt, Nagakura asked seriously, "And who did we have to capture?"  
  
Harada's frown grew even more, the very sight of the young woman leaning over the creek played over in his mind. The light of the water that was reflecting on her face and shining in her eyes, and her smile bright and yet sad. Then a frightened face trying to shake his arms away, he could still feel the tearing of his skin on his arms.  
  
"Sano-kun."  
  
Taking him out of his dream, he peered down on the concerned man. Closing his eyes once more, remembering the scene over and over again. As he began to say the captive's name, the money that had been in Nagakura's hand fell to the ground.  
  
"Isami Aiko."  
  
Nagakura couldn't believe it; he almost wanted to punch his friend in the face. Looking down he shadowed his eyes; what were they going to do now?  
  
"Like I said, this guy is serious. And most of all, he made us capture the chiefs daughter."  
  
He didn't want to pay any attention, his mind, and his memories were going. Only one question raised in his brain and spilled out of the man's mouth, "And where is she now Sano?" Sighing deeply he glanced over to him and said what his friend needed to hear.  
  
"I found an old building in the side of one of those mountains, looked like it was used for training and fighting in so I decided that was going to be the place where I'd leave her. Ya' know, if ya think that I took her by brute force don't worry, I gave her some sleeping powder. A high dose of it so when we get to the place where she is she'll probably be asleep."  
  
Nagakura nodded in reply, he didn't want to see Aiko hurt by anyone back then, and certainly he didn't now either. Raising his attention to the sky above, he watched as a dove flew off into the puffy white clouds. A day after grief was always peaceful, even back then . . .

* * *

_Fujita residence_

* * *

Tokio nervously paced the floor, her husband left, then Aiko, and then Okita had left. Everyone was gone except for the kids, and for the first time she was nervous. Even Aiko always tried to get home soon, something must've happened. But what, she didn't want to even think about what could've happened to everyone. Hands clenched to both side of her head, holding onto thin black hair and her heart pounded in her chest.  
  
Eiji and Tsutomu watched curiously as the adult paced her way through the entire house. Both of them blinked and then turned to each other and then continued watching Tokio. Eiji never knew that she would get so stressed.  
  
"AH, I know!" Tsutomu looked up at Eiji and began speaking his usual gibberish.  
  
"I'll go make her some tea, Okita-san always did that for her when he came here!"  
  
Tsutomu laughed and ran after Eiji into the kitchen area where the older boy began to create a tea that might calm the older woman down. Putting in ingredients of many kinds, of course back at Shingetsu village he never had time to make tea. He could only remember his mother putting some kind of leaves into the pot and letting them boil but it always tasted good in the end. Eiji smiled as he watched the water boil then set the lid over the wooden pot so that the steam wouldn't hurt their faces. Then, before Eiji was able to walk back to the living room, he heard a slam at the door.

* * *

She ran as fast as she could in the kimono, trying to make her way around the crowded maket place. She remembered the last time she was able to run like this, on the farm in Aizu where she would chase the birds from their crops. Her eyes softened a bit before she finally stopped in her tracks to a slowly gathering crowd. Great, now how was she going to get around this thing? She listened the nearly silent muffles of 'Poor boy' and 'somebody help him.'  
  
Tokio didn't care about her surroundings at the moment; right now she desperately needed to get to her husband. She pushed through the gathered crowd, and then looked in the direction of where the group was looking. There in the middle was a small boy; deep scared brown eyes looking up to a man who hasn't yet let his sword down. The boy sitting on the ground and moving backwards every so often had something strange about him. His clothing wasn't like any that Tokio had seen. Could he be one of those ninja's?  
  
"Oi, oi, oi . . . What's all this?" Came a strong and muscular man from the other side of the commotion.  
  
"Tell me we don't have to walk through this?" Said the smaller one at his side. Walking towards the men and women gathered, he didn't even have to raise a finger or his voice just to get through, everyone simply moved out of his way. Then Tokio got a glance of it, and her eyes widened in shock. The taller man carried an old samurai's spear and the smaller of the two carried both a sword and wakizashi.  
  
The boy looked up quickly to the both of them and then to the man threatening him. But, before he could even jump out of the way someone else was behind the rude man. Carrying a shinai the older boy had entered the little fight. The two samurai's stopped immediately at the sight of the boy with a shinai fighting against a sword.  
  
"How pathetic, the kid's gonna lose."  
  
"Yeah, but just in case Sano we should get ready to also attack."  
  
Harada nodded, "Yeah, it might just get a little gruesome."  
  
Shifting his feet to the right stance, the older boy only took a few steps towards the man and used a side swing towards the man's upper arm, which in turn dropped the sword in his hands. In pain the man jumped away from the kid and stared at him looking rather pissed. All the boy had to say though was a grin as he swung his shinai over his shoulder.  
  
"I, Yahiko Myogin, think that you're no match for the Kamiya Kasshin style."  
  
Scratching the side of his face Nagakura questioned this remark made by the kid.  
  
"Ano . . . Sano . . . Wasn't it a bad thing to tell your enemy's your name?"  
  
Harada laughed, "That was only because we were in such an awesome group!"  
  
The boy on the ground sat there at the strength that the older boy had, his eyes saddened at the thought. If he weren't with such a horrible family back then maybe he would've became like that, holding a shinai with such skill. He glanced down at the shining metal on the ground and stared at his reflection. Had he really changed that much from being out there in the forest training.  
  
Tokio frowned at the sight and pushed her way through the cluster of people. Ignoring all the evil stares and fusses that they all said she finally got to the end and began running again. She really hoped to see someone she knew right now, even Aiko would be nice. But all night long her and Okita were gone, and they have no other place to go to except her home.

* * *

'Damn, why won't he stop bleeding!'  
  
Takara wiped away the gathering blood at the side of Okita's mouth. Sitting against the tree leaning forwards Okita tried his hardest to regain consciousness. Squatting back onto her tiptoes she watched him, a body twitching every so often.  
  
'Okita Soushi, former captain of the first squadron in the Shinsengumi."  
  
Then Takara's mind went elsewhere when she heard the rustling of plants near her. Her body almost instantaneously went into guarding and her eyes went cold. Something around them just didn't seem right; all she knew was that either she or Okita had to get out of here. Then she looked back at Okita; he was helpless at this moment so if she even dared to runaway he wouldn't know the way back to Tokyo.  
  
He is ill and weak . . .  
  
'Nothing like what he was back then . . .'  
  
And now, most of all, he won't . . .  
  
"STOP BLEEDING!"  
  
Takara held up his head and wiped away again the dripping red liquid coming from the side of his mouth. Her hand stopped over his mouth as he stared at his closed eyes, the way he had his hair done brought an image to her abruptly. The image of a young boy laughing in ninja clothing holding a bunch of spears in his arms; it was when she stared at Okita that she saw the little boy.  
  
"Mareo . . . I hope you're not getting yourself into trouble at this time."

* * *

'Damn kid!'  
  
Long jumped along the rooftops with the only thought of butchering the boy when they got home. Mareo was a pain in his ass ever since he got here; it's because of him now that everybody follows Qi more and more each day. Under his arm held tightly was the little annoying Japanese boy, fear stricken and he was wondering what was going to happen to him.  
  
"Oi Long."  
  
Keeping his attention on the roofs and further down the line to the houses that blocked him from their destination, Long snorted telling Mareo that he was listening. Mareo looked down at all the people who began staring at the top of the buildings as they passed. This was the only thing different from him to Qi, when he ran he made himself known to everyone around him. He was never quiet and always brought up an argument to their leader, and for some odd reason, he had been leaving camp way to many times.  
  
"I was wondering, what's going to happen to me is Qi dies?"  
  
Qi . . . That was the only thing she was called back then, no last name, and no anything. She'd always hide behind the empress and do her dirty work. Qi, the Qi he knew before she became the Okashira wasn't all that bad, he could actually be with her without fighting. But when he watched her slaughter his father like that, every tie and bond between them broke almost instantaneously.  
  
"If our leader dies by another enemy, then we return to China."  
  
That's right, China, his homeland, a place where he could live from all the grief and pain of his past. He could still remember everything so clearly, everything that she did, and every mistake that she made he remembered.

* * *

_August 9, 1875  
  
Shanghai_

* * *

Noise something he had come to love so dearly even when he wanted to sleep. She always said that he must've been crazy to constantly listen to it. But the way he saw it, even the silence was loud and the blood curling screams he had grown used to by now. Today would be a day that would completely change the future of the Phoenix clan and he wasn't ready for it. The bell was hit again to have everyone rise from bed and begin his or her usual routine.  
  
Long rolled over to his side and laid on his arm, not wanting to leave to wonderful warm feeling of his bed. He was about to doze off until some distinguishing laughing came from just out his door, and before he knew it, the door slammed open to reveal the lighthearted Qi. Her hair tied back into a small bow that literally was to big for her for it almost went down to her thighs. Great big brown eyes stared down at his sitting form as she hopped from the doorframe to the side of his western styled bed. Setting her hands on the side on then resting her chin on them she looked up to the fifteen-year-old who raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Long, you know its time to wake up."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Long slipped out of bed and stood up to stretch. Qi also stood up and laughed.  
  
(She was always so carefree like that, what changed?)  
  
He looked down at her; there was one time when he didn't have to look down but rather up to her. Yeah, he had grown a few inches above her head but it didn't seem that she really cared about it. Long grinned, popped his neck and then heard the girl's comment to it, "Ew."  
  
"Are you going to let me get dressed or do I have to walk around in my sleeping outfit."  
  
Qi giggled as she passed him one of the most devious glances through her long and thick eyelashes, "Aw, but come on, it'd be funny."  
  
"Nu-uh, I'm not even going to attempt one of your sick-minded plans again."  
  
Qi giggled again and ran off towards the door but stopped only a few inches from the frame.  
  
"Pops told me to tell ya that you need to eat breakfast soon before Ling eats all of it."  
  
Laughing Long replied, "You should let her, maybe she would learn her lesson from eating all my dofu."  
  
The girl nodded immediately, the grin on her face not diminishing one bit. She was absolutely oblivious to what was going to happen later, and just for now, that's all he wanted. Qi was like a same-aged sister; nothing compared to a twin but a sister. They would train with each other, get each other in trouble, and of course take the blame for the other. Slipping on his common everyday clothing and pulling back his quickly growing braid Long walked out of his room and shut the door.  
  
He strolled down the hallway and made his way to the kitchen, passing fine family heirlooms and stories of how his family survived. To his father, the Xiaochu family was the most honored in all of China.

After eating breakfast he decided to make his way back to the training room where there was still a lot of commotion. The truth was . . .  
  
(Father was going to fight Qi and determine the next Okashira)  
  
Long stopped outside of the doorway where many of the students had gathered watching the training session between a second classman and the graceful Qi. He watched intently, taking in every move that she made so that he could remember her. A few taps came to his shoulder and Long jumped at least four feet into the air. Turning around as quickly as his body would let him, he came to see the face of his older sister. Long bangs draping over both sides of her face and the rest of her hair was kept up in a tight bun.  
  
The next moments of that day were like a nightmare to everyone. The blood spurting everywhere in the room, the cries of pain that were ushered by the one he looked up to and by the one he cared for deeply. And then, the time where Qi was a complete wreck but stood up anyway and grabbed the only weapon that she hadn't used yet, the iron fans. The way his father screamed in agony as the metal cut open his skin and drew his blood made everyone want to scream him or herself but couldn't even muster their cries. After that one blow, that final strike had killed his father, mercilessly murdering him right then and there.  
  
(You didn't have to kill him . . . You didn't have to prove your existence like that!)

* * *

_End_

* * *

Long nearly shoved Mareo into the rooftop, a mixture of horror and anger wiping over his features. She killed him, she murdered his father and for what, to show that she was strong enough to lead. Now he clinched the boy's neck tighter, as he seemed to glare right through the squirming Mareo. Speaking in Chinese he said something that Mareo couldn't make out.  
  
"What happened to you Qi?! What drove your anger to the point of assassinating the original master of the Art of Phoenix?!" (AN: Don't know Chinese, so insert here.)  
  
Releasing his grip on the boy's neck, Long began to run passed him and over the spread apart houses. Struggling to get his breathing under control Mareo coughed and opened one eye. Something was happening, something wrong and bad was going to happen and he could make out what. 

Ling's voice appeared in his head that drove him even more insane, "Qi wasn't herself, something inside her Long drove her and without even understanding it, she killed our father. I accept the facts dear brother, now it is time you do the same . . ."

* * *

_Far, faraway from Tokyo_

* * *

Nagakura laughed nervously as he dabbed at the paper, yep, with Harada being here, they were certainly dead. He looked back to the worried Harada who walked back and forth on the fine rug.  
  
"I swore I didn't give her any poison, she should be up by now, I SWARE!"  
  
He looked utterly hopeless, not even Kami could understand him now. Proceeding with the letter, Nagakura squinted his eyes and crumbled it up. He truly did hope that he wasn't going to die in this battle, oh did he hope he wouldn't.

* * *

**Next Chapter**

* * *

In the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?" our wonderful Okashira gets the news of where Aiko is being held. And wait, is that Okita at the front gate to the horrible destination.

* * *

**Character notes**

* * *

Xiaochu Long: Oh yes, yes, yes did he and Takara have such a wonderful relationship at one time or another.  
  
Xiaochu Ling: The older sister to Long, she is very helpful and loves to pick on her little brother. Her name means tinkling sounds of broken jade.  
  
Okita Soushi: WAAHH!

* * *

**Reviews**

* * *

MysticInca: Wow, Thank you, mesas hope you enjoyed that very special chapter that I made. It was harder then hell though, ya'know.  
  
Incadove: Round of applause, but thanks anyway for reading it even though you read it when you were tired.  
  
AngryBee: Yes Yes Yes, that they are, but I really didn't realize that my story is turning out like Kaoru and Kenshin, welp, that only means I have to change somethings. DARN!  
  
JadeGoddess: Erm, I don't know, just fit with the story....... Though the truth is I do know, I just can't tell ya, cuz well, I um yeah, just can't tell ya!

* * *

AN: Redone finally so that most of you can NOW understand it...Fanfic by ione 


	13. Chapter 12: A Remembered Wolf

AN: Stupid Fanfiction.net, it screwed up my last chapter! GRRR! ANY WHO! Hope you liked last chapter, I do have something's in store for you in this chapter. Not to shaby if I do say so myself! Already on my 13th chapter, gotta love that number, lucky 13!

* * *

_Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 12: A Remembered Wolf_

* * *

_"My Dying Love"  
  
"He Wins  
  
Another day  
  
Some sins  
  
He has paid  
  
Death in war  
  
People die  
  
Widow's poor  
  
And some lie  
  
Love is gone  
  
Time is real  
  
Lovers one  
  
Painful teal  
  
Hearts collide  
  
Death dies  
  
Love abides  
  
Challenge flies" -ione_

* * *

_June 11, 1879_

* * *

Aiko struggled out of the tight binding rope around her wrists and ankles, blood still coursing through the open slits of flesh. She had done everything; even biting through the rope didn't work. She was tired, but yet she was angry, angry that she could get out of the man's grip, angry because Okita was more then likely in pain for her. Darkness was the only thing that the room could offer, a dark and cold room that was with no bed or anything. Breathing in and out slowly to try and calm herself down, Aiko relaxed her muscles and closed her weary eyes.  
  
"Why me?"  
  
Then a loud noise came from behind the wall, or at least she though it as a wall. As the area opened, a torch could slowly be seen. But the sudden brightness was still so much for as she tried to cover her eyes from the light.  
  
"Eh? You're awake."  
  
Could that be the man that brought her here? Aiko quickly grimaced and lowered her bleeding hands to her lap. The figure approached slowly and steadily, and walked passed her, though she could not get a good view of the guy's face. Suddenly a hole in the wall had gone up in flames, illuminating the whole room. Aiko was surprised what kind of room she was in; pictures and portraits and even tapestries that hung on the walls with so many colors it was really hard to count. It was a western style room, high ceiling and western furniture. The woman sighed when she finally realized that there were things that she could've cuddled up on.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
Aiko spun around to meet the concerned face of someone she knew, bright orange hair glowing by the fire.  
  
"Nagakura-san?"  
  
Surprised, Aiko sat there puzzled at the sight. Nagakura was to short to be the one that captured her, so he must be . . . could he be . . .?  
  
"Nagakura-san are you a captive as well?"  
  
Immediately, the man laughed and tried to hold it in but only resulted in laughing some more. Aiko had no idea; she was completely puzzled as to why she was here and to why he suddenly showed up. Then she saw it, the something that was strapped to his waist and wasn't allowed in the times of the Meiji. Biting her lip she lowered her gaze to the burning fire, he was no captive he was a helper.  
  
"Then, why am I here?"  
  
"Eh? We'll get to that soon enough." Lowering his gaze to her wrists he continued in a low voice, "Right now you need some sleep, and I'll go and get the bandages."  
  
As he walked off Aiko drew in a lot and gave a deep sigh. Right now she didn't need any of those things, right now she needed to know if Okita was all right. Starring up at the ceiling she could begin to feel the passive, moving spell of sleep come over her. The pain of her body slowing itself to numbness, as Aiko collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"Soushi . . ."

* * *

_Afternoon_

* * *

Okita slammed the door open to the almost desolate house with silence that could choke a person. Breathing in and out as evenly as he could, the weariness still boring down on him from the latest happening. Walking in he held his hand to the wall for support, as far as he knew he was already too weak to move. That's what he needed, rest, he needed to fall asleep to clear his mind so that when he woke up he could once again start the search for Aiko. When he finally started down the hallway his eyes fell upon something that made him really realize where he was. There they were asleep against the wall sleeping peacefully, Tsutomu sleeping against Eiji's leg. Stopping in the middle of his path to his room he stared at them.  
  
Peace, could there really be any peace in this era . . .  
  
Okita's knee's weakened right then and there, making him collapse to the floor on both hands and knees. No, there could never be peace, not in everyone's lives but only for some. There would never be peace for him or Saitou or anyone else who was at one time a samurai. Even with women associated with former-samurai's, they would never have peace knowing that the one they cared for would do anything do die for his country.  
  
The man pulled himself back into a sitting position, his hands clenching his hakama's tightly as he tried to put himself into his regular mental state. Brown eyes covered by a veil of black hair, teeth grinding at each other while the only thing that went through his mind was the memory of last night.  
  
Kami, did Okita hate himself right now!  
  
Standing up as quickly as he could, he turned around and went another way to his room. If there was one way he was going to get his temper down it was most definitely sleep. Finally realizing that he was moving at a rather quick rate Okita stopped and took a deep breath then stepped forward to his room that was only a few feet away. Opening the shoji slowly he walked in and closed it, his hands shaking fiercely. Rolling out his futon, he lay down on his back and stared up at the ceiling through stricken eyes.  
  
A soundless word slipped from his mouth into the atmosphere and Okita wondered where it actually had came from. Saying it again made him feel alone, his rational mind was no longer speaking almost as if itself was in pain for its loss.  
  
"Aiko . . ."

* * *

_In Tokyo Somewhere . . ._

* * *

She stared up at the sky, there were no clouds and no birds, and both very good predictions that something bad was about to happen. Narrowing her eyes to only slits she thought of the only thing that her childhood had actually experienced. Still in her traveling Shinobi clothing, her facemask just hanging below her neck.  
  
"QI!!"  
  
Takara's eyes widened as she quickly sat up from the abandoned rooftop. She looked down at the boy who ran up to her with fearful eyes just as if he knew something. Taking this into consideration, she jumped down off the roof to the little boy.  
  
"Leader Qi, the camp . . ." he breathlessly said, "the camp, someone is turning each and everyone against you!"  
  
'Long.'  
  
Watching his leader stand up straight he noticed the awful face she had on. Her eyebrows furrowed and her ki, her ki seemed hurt at some point.  
  
'What going on?'  
  
"So there you are."  
  
The sudden unfamiliar voice shocked the nine-year-old and Takara only glanced by turning her head only enough to see the man. Spiked brown hair, a red bandanna, and horrible white clothing. Takara grinned evilly, 'Seems like this guy can't get enough of me.'  
  
"I was starting to get worried that you wouldn't show your disgusting face again."  
  
Grinning even more, she turned her head around and put the facemask over the bottom portion of her face.  
  
"Mareo, wait for me by the temple."  
  
Straightening up he nodded and ran as fast as he could towards the right direction. Takara watched him hurry away, each step he took made him even more safe then what he was right then and there. Removing her hand from her mask she turned to the man standing before her with his hands tucked to his sides. Each person giving a dark grin and standing in a position that kept them guarded.  
  
Starting off on her right foot, Takara jumped and threw herself toward the cocky man in front of her. Her hands went for the dagger behind her back as she quickly drew it, thrusting it to the front side of the man. Catching her wrist in his hand he tried to trip her to the ground beneath them. It seemed though that this ninja didn't feel like falling, feeling a strong stinging sensation at his kneecap he finally realized that the guy had actually managed to hit him good. Hopping backwards from the kneeling male, sliding on the dirt as she did so he right hand holding the dagger and her other rather close to her hip.  
  
The man grinned yet again, "You're lucky."  
  
Standing up from the ground he massaged his wrists and popped his knuckles.  
  
"Only real strong men have ever hit me, so I'm guessin' that you're one of those men."  
  
Takara didn't move all of her attention focusing on his strong ki. She had to predict the guy's next move; either straight on or he'll try and trick by kicking her instead. Narrowing her eyes she decided that it would be the best time to run off but if she did that the guy wouldn't stop running after her. Straightening her pose she closed her eyes and listened to everything around her. Opening them quickly she tossed her blade into the air and jumped, her arms spread from her body. Then as the metal object began its decent Takara grabbed it and flipped herself backwards, her left hand gripping the blade she threw it at him skillfully.  
  
But he was smart enough to realize her little trick, dodging out of its way he ran in the direction she jumped in. Instead of being able to catch he almost was knocked out by a flying piece of wood going straight for him. Catching it in his hands he threw it aside and saw the next move the person was going to make. Clenching his hands into tight fists he went for the fast approaching foot and punched it away from him, knocking the guy off balance as the person tried their best not to fly sideways into him.  
  
Takara's side ran into his shoulder but even as they fell she used his body to jolt herself back up to her feet. Stumbling only a few feet before seeing the guy stand up once more. 'Kami, just stay down already!'  
  
Once more she jumped toward the man in pain, this time though using both her hands to thrust him into the broken down building. Breathing in and out as evenly as she could, she only rested for a minute or two before starting off into a full out sprint. Leaping onto the tall fences and running down the narrow runway. Leaving the man behind in the splintery wood, she would let him become angry for she didn't care at all. Right now, she needed to get Mareo and hurry back to the camp.

* * *

_Police Department . . . (Heheheh)_

* * *

Saitou slammed his fist onto the desktop, making Tokio jump a few inches backward from where she was. Chou, who was also in the room that was once nicely organized also was cut off from his thoughts when the loud noise occurred. The woman's hands reached for the top of her heart as she could feel her quick heartbeat. Hajime was angry, or maybe he just couldn't think of anything to do to save the girl.  
  
Chou glanced at the nearly shaking woman and back to the former captain and thought, 'Well, I outta just get outta her' quickly.'  
  
Stepping forwards to the door he laid his hand to rest on it and looked back to the two.  
  
"I'll jus' leave ya two alone if ya don't mind."  
  
When the door closed it felt almost as if the air had thinned and that she could now breath. But when Saitou's gaze fell upon her, she could no longer breath once more. Sighing, he walked to the back window and stared at the blank blue sky.  
  
"Tokio." Her name calmly said but the rest seemed forced, "Go back home, maybe someone has come home late." Turning to his wife his eyes still glittering the wolf inside, "But if that isn't the case I'll go searching around."  
  
The woman nodded to her husband, not wanting to complain on his reasoning she turned to the door and opened it. Chou on the other side with his ear close to the door, nearly fell onto the woman but instead fell inside the doorway. Making an obvious "THUMP" onto the floor. Tokio struggled down the giggles that were fast approaching as she did her best to walk away from an ice-cold room. But as she got to the middle of the hallway a not so surprising voice came, "Chou, get off the damn floor!"  
  
Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell her husband after all . . .

* * *

_Fujita Home_

* * *

As Tokio approached to gate to their courtyard she was overwhelmed when something came flying past her ear. Her hand hastily went up to her ear to see if there was any blood and then looked in front of her to where the object landed. Walking a little closer she noticed a piece of paper wrapped around a ninja blade. And on that piece of paper was the name that mainly gave her a shock, it was addressed to Okita Souji.  
  
Forcing the blade out of the wood with both hands, she opened the gate and ran inside to a silent house.  
  
'CRASH'  
  
"AHH!"  
  
Well, almost silent anyway . . .  
  
"Tsutomu!"  
  
"WWAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"  
  
Tokio nearly hit the floor, was this what usually happened whenever she was gone? Stumbling into the hallway where the voices were coming from Tokio saw the two boys in the middle. Tsutomu sniffling and Eiji patting his head, she couldn't help but to smile at the two.  
  
"Eiji."  
  
The 14 year-old boy looked up to the woman standing to the side of him with a slight smile across her face. Noticing the blade in her hand, Eiji stared at it nervously before looked back up to Tokio.  
  
"Tokio-san."  
  
"Tell me, have you heard anything while I've been gone."  
  
The young boy blinked then looked at Tsutomu who was still sniffling and back to her again.  
  
"No, Tsutomu and I have been asleep."  
  
Sighing the older woman looked past the boys to the outside where a clear view of the Sakura trees could be seen. Everything seemed so peaceful out there, no one even really knew about the so-called Okashira Phoenix. Then, something broke that silence, the sound of coughing.  
  
Being brought out of her trance, Tokio moved quickly down the hallway leaving two very confused boys in the hall. They never believed that she could move so quickly.  
  
The woman walked swiftly since running was definitely out of the question. Her hands roaming along side the walls as she made her way to the man's room. The loud patting noises could almost alert anyone that someone was coming but the question was, did he? Coming up to the shoji to her right she grabbed hold of the edge and slowly opened it to reveal the dark room inside. That was when Tokio's mind went blank as she saw the man lay on his futon in a bloody mess. Now, opening the shoji even more so that she could walk in the woman silently paced her way to his side where the man in front of her was asleep peacefully.

* * *

(Okita-san . . .)  
  
(Okita-san!)  
  
(OKITA-SAN!)  
  
(Do you love her?)  
  
(You're pathetic. The Okita I fought with would have realized a long time ago that the woman he loved, loved him in return and was damned in her love as much as he. Get over your self-pitying, I'm tired of watching you wallow in your despair and Aiko doesn't need that kind of crap either.)  
  
(I love you, Okita.)  
  
Even now it seemed those words had its same effect as they did before. The sweet kisses that fell upon him as he returned them in a rush. Kami did he miss her right now, he wished that she was lying right beside him as if nothing had ever happened but in reality it had. Opening his eyes he could clearly see the sky filled with puffy white clouds and white birds crossing every once and a while. He only wanted to stare at the huge blue mass above him; afraid of what he might see the moment he turned his head away. He was haunted by his dreams but then again they guided him.  
  
Once again his eyes closed from the sights and once again he felt something odd about the place he was visiting in his dreams. Sitting up he felt the clinging and swaying grass gracefully brush his arms. The smell of new flowers was clear in his head but something was still not right. The place seemed to be full of sorrow. He knew this ever since he began to have this one particular dream. Opening his eyes to the field around him surrounded by trees Okita rested his arms on his legs. His short black hair touching lightly against his forehead as brown eyes searched the area.  
  
Then something very odd drifted down in front of him, a small pink cherry blossom. Turning his head and shoulders he saw what was behind him. Everything around Okita froze, the grass now sharp blades. What was behind him was the thing that most terrified him, his sister. She stood by the trees and slowly walked over the sharp grass letting it free, one step after another everything began to move once more. Swallowing hard Okita stared up at his older sister Nariko. She still looked the same way since the last time he saw her except now she looked pained. No smile graced her lips and her eyes showed a rage. The next words she spoke to her little brother were the words that would make him move from where he was sitting.  
  
"Soujiro, wake up, please wake up now. No longer will you pay attention to me; to a sister who has long ago died for her beliefs. Don't just wake up from your dream . . ."  
  
Okita's eyes grew with shock as he noticed that tears began to move downward from her eyes.  
  
"Please just wake up from this shell that you've created! You're not this man that wishes to be apart of nothing. You're Okita Souji, the former captain of the first squad of the Shinsengumi. YOU'RE MY LITTLE BROTHER!"  
  
Right then, she and everything disappeared into the darkness; the mirrored black room that he seemed always stuck in. Okita's heart almost stopped, and he tried desperately to stand up to what was being shown to him. The younger version of him, the boy he once was dressed in a Shinsengumi uniform with long black hair and very young looking brown eyes. His head dropped and then he glanced back to the boy in front of him.  
  
"I can't."  
  
The reflection heard his words and acted like he was shocked, eyes widening and his mouth appeared to look like a small dot.  
  
"I can't become who I was . . ."  
  
Falling to the ground once more, landing on his knees and using his hands for support. He knew he shouldn't have looked around him in that field, he had a feeling it would lead to this.  
  
"I'm to weak now . . ."  
  
His jaw quivered, his teeth grinding one another and his bangs shadowing his eyes. Okita's hands became clenched very tightly.  
  
"What the hell do you mean Soushi!?"  
  
Okita's head shot upward, only slight fragments of tears appeared in his eyes.  
  
"You aren't weak Sou-kun."  
  
"Now Soushi save Aiko!"  
  
Okita shot a glance backwards and the forms that were talking to him slowly faded. But he could surely tell who they were.  
  
'Hijikata-san.'  
  
Pushing himself off from the mirrored floor he continued his words.  
  
'Maemi-san.'  
  
His eyes fell upon the smiling mirror of himself.  
  
"Kondo-san."  
  
For the first time in such a long time Okita narrowed his eyes upon the wall. And in return the mirror did the same, almost as if it knew what the other was thinking.  
  
"Okita-san!"  
  
A sharp pain went through Okita's chest and as a result he began to fall backward. He could feel something moving him, tugging at his chest. His eyes closed painfully and his arms tried desperately to cover his chest in a cross.

* * *

"Okita-san!"  
  
"Okita-san please stop moving."  
  
Cough, cough  
  
The man's body was moving to fiercely that even she couldn't stop him from moving about. His hands clenching his chest as he rolled to his side. Tokio moved backward and covered her mouth only gently.  
  
Okita's eyes shot open and his body made its desperate attempt to slow the pain in his chest. Leaning forward with one hand over his mouth he coughed harshly, the pain in his lungs still lingering.  
  
When the coughing slowed and finally stopped, Okita remained in one position staring down at his gray hakama's. He breathed slowly in and out evenly just to calm him and the woman beside him.  
  
"Ano . . ."  
  
The man's head moved slowly upwards to look upon the woman's face, her skin slowly regaining its color.  
  
"Okita-san."  
  
Straightening his back carefully, he closed his eyes and tilted his head forward. Then, he felt a relatively still shaking hand on his. His brown eyes fell upon her once again, but not with the usual glitter they always had. A slight dullness filled them but then again a small fire inside him. Then, his eyes fell upon a ninja blade that was being held in Tokio's left hand. Tokio noticed and quickly passed it on to the waiting patiently man.  
  
"Someone threw it at me when I was coming home, I noticed that the name on it is Okita Soushi."  
  
Untangling the piece of paper wrapped around it then unfolding it he read the messy Japanese writing.  
  
"Okita Soushi,  
  
If you want your woman back soon then go to the North Mountains.  
  
You are fully welcomed to come but I warn you, if you don't come I  
  
will personally kill the wench."  
  
Right then and there he wanted to tear the paper to shreds; inside his body he wanted to rip something apart but on the outside no one could tell his true feelings. Tokio sat there watching him; sure his face had no feelings inside it but from the way his hands were gripping the paper he was angry. Curiosity peaked in her mind and she leaned forward to see the letter in the man's hands. Noticing this he handed the paper over to her to let her read then stood up to walk to the door.  
  
Smiling back at the woman Okita only slightly said, "I'm going to go take a bath." And he left her in the silence of her room. Tokio blinked and looked down at the paper and began to read it. What the heck was happening?

* * *

_Near the North Mountains . . ._

* * *

Takara threw the dagger with all her might at the tree; a white paper already crumpled up into a little ball. Her blade striking it like poison as its blade went all the way in. She walked up to it and pulled it out, only one chip on the edge of the blade. 'Why did they have to bring her into this, there is no reason to bring her into this! Unless . . .' Takara looked to the sky and saw that the sun was going down, night would be coming very soon and then she'd go attack the men who are doing this and get Aiko out.  
  
"That's why they captured her, to lure me into a trap."  
  
Standing straight and her shoulders bent backward, her hands clenched into tight fists. Her teeth biting into her bottom lip and her bangs covered up her angered narrowed brown eyes. Her head turned to her left to stare at the mountainside where her sister was more then likely held. Takara's eyes glared upward, the air in her lungs being used as her adrenaline. Kicking off her right foot she lifted herself into the warm air around her. She would sneak into their hideout maybe and watch to see what's going to happen, but until then she would let her rage boil.  
  
"Bastards!"

* * *

_North Mountain_

* * *

Aiko sat on the bed very relaxed and indeed loved watching the fire as it went up and down in intricate patterns. Sighing she fell onto the bed, maybe she love watching the fire but then again if there was anything else to do she'd do it. Her hands were untied now but the pain of them was there still remaining on her wrists.  
  
Then before she knew it her sight at the hands in front of her, a thin blade blocked her face. Aiko blinked and pushed herself off the comfortable bed and looked up to the wall. There sitting in a dark corner was a hidden man in a black cape. Her brown eyes didn't leave his features and watched him as he jumped down with grace from the top.  
  
'A ninja.'  
  
The person walked forward and took off the hood that was hiding half of his face. Aiko could feel herself shrink into her skin and feel herself move slowly away from him. The man in front of her had thin black eyes and long ebony hair that was braided and a large grim smile.  
  
"What's wrong? You afraid?"  
  
She didn't answer but only slid more off the bed and kept her eyes on him.  
  
"And you're her sister, you two don't even look alike except your eyes that is."  
  
Her movements stopped all together, her sister? But she lost her sister in the end of the war to China. A hint of confusion crossed her face as she began to move even more backward but the man took another step forward alerting Aiko of her current position.  
  
"Well that don't matter, the moment she gets here is the moment when you meet your death."  
  
Jumping straight up she now stepped more quickly away from him, but before she even had a chance to run close to the fire the guy grabbed her by her wrists. Her breathing seemed to just stop and she could feel a sharp point under her chin. Standing on her tip toes she tried on not going down any more then where she was.  
  
"Hn."  
  
Removing the blade from under her chin he gripped her wrist and flung her to his side making her fall onto a table in front of the nearby chair. She was in trouble, by his force she could tell that he was here to hurt her, maybe even kill her. One arm shaking uncontrollably and the other pushing her off the table she managed herself into a sitting position. Then he grabbed her hair and brought out his small knife and smiled. He observed the face of horror that crossed the woman's face and her hands went quickly for his one.  
  
"You are afraid, but don't worry I don't plan on really KILLING you. I just plan on wounding you."  
  
With that said his knife slid across her arm and Aiko twirled to floor in agony, tears already welling up in her eyes. Her left hand covered her deep wound as she attempted to regain her control of her mind. She could feel the thick blood soak into the fabric of her kimono and stick to her fingers. Glancing up in pain at the man that was approaching her, she looked over at the glass that had broken under her crash coarse with the table and grabbed a piece.  
  
Grabbing her bad arm and pulling her up close to him nearly inches from her face his smile was every little bit of anger. Gripping the glass in her hand she slugged it toward his face. Not predicting this quick enough to stop her part of his cheek was sliced open. Now having both hands on both arms he threw his own head into hers and knocked her out. Letting her go she fell to the carpet underneath her. Some of her own blood dripping onto that carpet and her hand was also cut open by the sharp edges of the glass.

* * *

_Late Afternoon_

* * *

'You think you can fight this by yourself?'  
  
'I have to, not only for Aiko's sake but for mine as well.'  
  
'Hn.'  
  
The whole conversation repeated itself over and over again in his head. Holding his left hand over the top of his sword, Okita stared at the dark and empty door before him. His hair moving slowly side to side brushing against his eyelashes. He'd save Aiko this time; he wouldn't be lost in battle and make her spirit cry again. She'd already gone through so much now, to end her agony, her sorrow would be his biggest and strongest task he knew. Now it was only a matter of time until he reached the main hall where the battles were going to take place.  
  
Taking one step into the pitch darkness of the night Okita Souji had come to save his love . . .  
  
'Aiko.'

* * *

**Next Chapter  
**

* * *

A lot of fighting, more fighting, and blood yes blood . . .

* * *

**Character notes**

* * *

Aiko Isami: Poor, poor Aiko but at least she fought back.  
  
Okita Souji: GO KICK SOME MAJOR NINJA BUTT MY MAN!!!  
  
Takara Isami: NO, Takara don't go into the dark erm wait is that actually a character note?

* * *

**Reviews**

* * *

(Insert evil face) I'm mad at everyone who didn't review, except for JadeGoddess, cuz she reviewed and is VERY confused.  
  
JadeGoddess: (raises eyebrow) Yep, surprise coming next or maybe the chapter after that. Who knows how long the fighting scene will last. I really don't think that I can make it last for at least two chapters. Oh no, no, no . . .

* * *

AN: YAY! I figured out FF.net, mesas so happppyyyy!  
  
Fanfic by ione


	14. Chapter 13: Battle

AN: LOL, kk, I had so much trouble with this chapter you really WOULDN'T believe me but it's the truth. Never knew I have to write sooo many fighting scenes but I do believe that I do well on them. As I say to myself as long as you can fully picture them and write down what you see then it'll turn out good enough.  
  
Disclaimer: Okita! pets Soushi's long black hair Me missed you . . . even though you were always with me TEEHEE . . . Oh wait this is a disclaimer not a grope, grope, kissie, kissie . . .

* * *

_**Where Are You Now  
  
Chapter 13: Battle**_

* * *

"_It's what I see _

_And what I know_

_That when on knee_

_It's all for show  
  
Your truth backed by lie_

_Your lie backed by trust_

_But for when it will die_

_All your lust for lust  
  
A darkened gate_

_For mysteries to keep_

_Can't not be late_

_Plans not shallow, deep  
  
Evil shinning less_

_Overcome by good_

_Secret men they bless_

_Showing how she could."  
  
Shana Tout_

* * *

_June 12, 1879_

* * *

Pitch darkness settled around him as he walked into the cave-like structure. His eyes soon becoming unusable from their daily watch and now his ears were his last hope. So long ago did he do the same thing when he approached a battlefield full of thick air that smelled of blood and decay. Now approaching this new field of battle he couldn't help but to ask himself if the one he loved that had never actually seen him fight would be there?  
  
All he wanted was for her to be safe and away from such people that can cause her more harm then the death of her father. At this moment she was once again alone with people she didn't even know and he failed to protect her.  
  
A strong light was finally visible and his eyes become pained by it, inside that very light is the person who took Aiko away from him. He'd make sure they regretted what they just did. As he began to walk in he could see the tidiness of the huge room, making it absolutely easy for any ninja to fight in that was for sure. Looking to the front of the room were two men asleep on the floor next to the wall. Okita walked up as quietly as he could up to the men and when he finally realized who they were he nearly fell to the floor. He remembered these two, the way they would torture the men at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These two were always the first to dig into the well-prepared food.  
  
Leaning over the two snoring humans Okita smiled, straightening up once more and raised his foot stomped by ones ear. The orange haired man bolted upward and put his hand to his ear rubbing it. The other unfortunately was asleep until his pillow went toward the ceiling and he had a horrible awakening when he banged his head on the floor. Both of them now evil eyed stared up toward the silhouetted figure.  
  
"You guys really are a pain in the butt you know that."  
  
Nagakura shot up to his feet and glared at the man until he recognized the smiling face of the former captain. Harada quickly stood to look at him, the man's eyebrows raised and his eyes closed but slightly bent upward and that smile . . .  
  
Both of them jumped backward with their hands and arms to their side.  
  
"No way, he's a ghost!"  
  
"Ya can't be showing me this, there ain't no way he's alive!"  
  
Shooting up to Okita they began to poke at his face shoulders and chest to see if they really weren't hallucinating. Okita couldn't help but to laugh at them, but then again it really was a miracle that he survived these many long years. Holding up his hands to push the two away, which wouldn't give in to the fact that he's alive, he was soon being hugged by his former comrades. How funny, he came here to fight but in return he got the laughter of two older men.  
  
Nagakura raised his hand to the back of his head and stared at Okita in amazement, "I didn't think you'd live, boy do strange happen now a days."  
  
"Yea, and to think you look twice as better then you were in the war."  
  
'If only they knew . . .'  
  
Taking in Saitou's loved strategy he went straight to the point, "Where's Aiko?"  
  
The blunt question hit both the two men hard and they looked down to the floor, but he did want an answer. He had no idea where she was and everyone around him was beginning to feel worried, if he didn't do something soon then surely Saitou would've. Actually, if Saitou were Hijikata, Okita would be in some pretty big lecture right about now.  
  
"Where ever she is," came a distant voice "you're not allowed to see her."  
  
His eyes widened as he shot back a glance to the voice behind him. Over in a dark corner of the room was a man in a black cape, tilting a cup of tea in circles. His left leg raised and his right resting straight on the cold black floor. His head tilted toward the swordsman who had every intention to kill him. A small cheerless smile appearing on the only part of his face that was showing.  
  
Standing up and setting aside the tea cup he calmly approached the only enemy in front of him though he only intended to fight that "whore," but this man will be good enough for his warm up. Reaching up for the topside of the cape which covered most of his face he pulled up down to reveal his features.  
  
Nagakura and Harada both took a step backwards, the man they have been working under was none other then a Chinese ninja. The red head clenched his hands and thought forcefully, "Shit! Forgive me Kondo-san!"  
  
Harada glared at the same height man as him, he'd lived in China for nearly ten years as a bandit but he never stooped so low to work with the men in that country. Glancing down at the man that was shorter then him Harada's eyes widened.  
  
Okita Souji wasn't in the right position to be fighting . . .  
  
The man looked pale and angry, something that he had never seen before. Okita's eyes were just as ice cold as the ninja's; did he know something that they didn't? Exhaling he stepped before the black ninja and grinned, "Ya know, I thought there was somethin' fishee about ya but now that I know the reason why I'm not fery pleased about it."  
  
The ninja smiled, "Well I'm sorry that I'm not what you thought I'd be."  
  
There was a pause for a moment or two before a single breath was passed, and then it happened. Throwing his sword over his head and heaving it downward only an inch from his enemy's neck, Nagakura came at him with all the might that he, an old man, could possess. And by each attack that he gave the ninja easily dodged them all.  
  
Harada glanced back down to Okita, the man who stood there observing, concentrating on every single move the shinobi had but so far only nothing had been shown. He hadn't pulled a single move to Nagakura. Turning away to the wall and walking toward his most prized weapon, Harada gripped it tightly and began to remember the fond memories of using it during the old era.  
  
Watching, hoping that he time wouldn't come but yet yelling for him to attack Okita stood there in anticipation. His brain was crying out for him to draw his sword and his hand for some reason would not listen but instead just sit there on the top of the hilt. At that point he saw a spear come quickly past his face and straight for the battle, and it was then that he stopped breathing. It wasn't one of his sudden coughing fits, this was different, and he had seen this before, this fighting.  
  
(_You all are under arrest_)  
  
(_Hurry blow out the light_!)  
  
(_KILL THEM_!)  
  
"Ikedya . . ." Okita mumbled under his breath that was when it all began, when his disease appeared in its truest form. When his life was no longer in the hands of him and his assailants but in the hands of a disease that couldn't be cured.

* * *

Lying there on the floor was Aiko not back in the state of consciousness. Eyes barely opened to the room around her, not focusing on any object in particular. 'Will I get out of here, will I live? Will anyone come for me? No Souji will come he has always come for me, but will he now?"  
  
Her eyebrow twitched at the thought, surely he would come if not anyone else. He would come in the room with nothing on him but a smile, a sweet and tender smile that would warm her heart once more. She wanted him with her at this moment; she wanted him to wake her up as if nothing had ever happened. Aiko's eyes closed momentarily to the silence around her, but instead of comforting to her it seemed to suffocate her. It had only been two months with Souji and she could already feel him capture her soul.  
  
(_Does it hurt Aiko-chan_?)  
  
(_What do you think baka_?)  
  
She had said some strange things to him but in reality . . . in truth she wanted to say other things to him. A smile touched her face in humor, 'A few more "I love you's" would have been nice."

* * *

Nagakura and Harada both flew away from their opponent in pain, one he had almost opened Harada scar again and two he's nailed Nagakura in the left arm. Thankfully he wasn't left-handed or else he'd be done for in the battle. Reaching over the two men with he long dagger, he attempted to finish them off. His arm flying over his other shoulder causing more momentum in the strike into their bodies. Then thrusting in down to where the lay he waited for the smell of blood to enter his nostrils but at that point something strange happened. His dagger went the opposite direction toward his body. Tightening his grip on the hilt of the dagger he used his force to keep it from jamming into him. Looking beyond the metal was a pained expression of the man he had invited to come here, brown eyes glaring at him with anger.  
  
"Don't think you can win over these two as easily as that with me around."  
  
Harada grabbed Nagakura by his good arm and lifted him up to a standing position both of them grinning evilly. Nope, they weren't done yet; they still had a long ways to go.  
  
Okita slung his sword against the man's dagger causing it to slide to the side of his body.  
  
'He's good.' Thought Long as he went back into his stance, moving his right foot behind him and his left slightly in front of him, 'but not good enough.' A sly grin replaced his small frown and his confidence only climbed higher when he jumped into the air. Okita quickly stopped and hopped backward from the man's landed spot. The moment Long touched the ground though he bent his legs and leaped toward the retreating man.  
  
Okita's eyes widened and at that instant when he finally landed on his feet he knew what was coming. A sharp pain hit his stomach at full force and he could feel himself get pushed backward onto the floor. Squinting his eyes to the pain he forced himself off the dusty ground, his breathing blowing away the entire dirt under him. Okita rose to his feet with a katana in hand, his pupil's small and some of his teeth showing through his teeth.  
  
Long stared at the rising man in front of him, his hands slowly clenching themselves into fists and the second that he straightened up and face him was the moment he fell back to the ground.  
  
"You know what's annoying, men like you that just won't give up when they should."  
  
Quickly the Chinese man drew out the dagger from behind his back and he plunging it downward onto the man that was moving as fast as he could to get out of the way. But when he thought it was to late, that he was going to be sliced open, something happened. The blade broke into two pieces and one of those pieces fell to the floor, clanging itself and little shards of the blade as well fell. Okita stared at them, puzzled, wondering what in the world could've broken his dagger but then again he was kind of happy that it happened. Looking up he stared at the split dagger in the man's hand and saw very easily that something had been thrown at it. The possibility though on throwing an object at a metal object was a skill that would be hard to accomplish.  
  
"Don't even try it."  
  
Long suddenly shot back a glare to the dark entryway, his black eyes soon becoming full of rage as he waited for that someone to enter the room. Soft footsteps echoed from wall to wall while the air grew thin and hard to breathe. The figure gradually became able to see and the footsteps grew louder.  
  
"Yare, yare I truly didn't expect you to be the one I come after."  
  
Harada and Nagakura's mouths dropped to the floor, both using each other to stand once more. Long quirked an eyebrow to his new opponent, the dangerous beauty that lingered in the doorway. Quickly the woman pulled out a ninja star and threw it to her enemy; flying through the air until it hit its unnamed target. Long caught it before it even reached his neck, only by a small fraction.  
  
Long black hair tied up in a high-ponytail with brown eyes that seemed to freeze over everyone. A black outfit, baggy and easy to move in was her choice of attire and probably many daggers and ninja stars hidden in her clothing. Her hand reached up to her left temple as she rubbed it and returned her gaze to the man standing ten feet away from her.  
  
Long smiled, "I welcome you . . . Okashira Phoenix."  
  
She smiled back at him, "So I guess this means you no longer wish to be apart of the clan."  
  
Turning fully to face her Long tilted his head to his side, "That's not true, you know exactly why I am doing this."  
  
With that said her smile dropped quickly and her hand fell back to her side. This was not a battle for departure, it was a battle a revenge. It has been prolonged for over ten years and today was the day that the attack against her was going to happen.  
  
But she had to congratulate him for working so hard on getting her in a trap.  
  
Nagakura and Harada's gi's were looking rumpled as part of their shoulders were showing, shocked expression's with big bulging eyes made it an almost comedic site.  
  
"The Okashira Phoenix is a . . . a . . . a woman?"  
  
Nagakura Shinpachi fell to the floor dumbfounded, the first time they see the powerful okashira and the find out he's in fact a she. Harada also felt rather stupid, of course it would've been a woman, after all, the Chinese empress's symbol is a phoenix. Also falling to the floor he sniffed a couple of times, "I guess we are a pair of old men ne Shinpach-san." Nagakura nodded quickly to his companions comment.  
  
Okita smiled at the two, he himself a little confused that the Okashira Phoenix was a young woman. But nonetheless a woman who recklessly killed men in the alleyways without mercy. Okita's eyes returned to the two glaring people, each one looking as loose as possible, ready for an attack that would drive the other to the floor. The woman stared beyond the man in front of her to the man sitting on the floor.  
  
"I think this is a good time to go find a certain someone am I right."  
  
Okita's eyes widened; that's right Aiko was in here, he would be able to see her and save her from this place. But never once has he once retreated from a battle.  
  
Obviously the woman saw his need to stay for his sake of honor so she decided to do the one thing to dismiss the guy.  
  
"A shinobi should only fight a shinobi, not a samurai."  
  
Okita smiled and closed his eyes while nodding, that woman couldn't be any more right then . . .  
  
(_Shinobi's are tricky people Souji, that why it's only suitable that they fight one another_.)  
  
(_Hai, hai Kondo-san_!)  
  
Souji's eyes opened in shock, his smile abruptly disappearing as he glanced back at the girl still watching him. Only silence continued after that for a few seconds until a familiar voice broke it.

* * *

_'Souji, to find her go through the door behind us, then follow the hallway do not turn off in another direction. Then you'll come to a giant tapestry, go behind it is a room and in there you'll find whom you're looking for.'  
_  
His left hand held onto the sheath of his sword as he ran down the wooden hallway, his soft pants of air and the stomping of his feet could tell anyone that he was coming toward them. Urgency working up in his chest and the very thought of seeing Aiko again was the only thing that drove him to continue running down the long hall. How long had it been since he hadn't seen her, nearly four days since she was captured.  
  
Very soon he saw the tapestry that Nagakura was talking about and did not wait to go behind it. The moment he did though he walked into a room with only a fire that lit it up with light. And in the middle of the floor was a figure he hadn't seen for a so many hours. A purple kimono with cherry blossoms, long black hair scattered by her body and a hand resting on her stomach as she lay slightly on her left side.  
  
Okita wasn't hesitant about running toward her, rushing to her side as he tried to have part of her rest in his arms. When he looked at her, his arms began to quiver, a bruise, not a very large one but one above her left eye made him clench her kimono in his hands. Then the sense of feeling came to him as his hand gripped her arm; he felt something wet and yet dry that it made the kimono feel a little hard. Looking down at her right arm he saw the cause of this, dry and wet blood had soaked her purple kimono with an enormous gash following it.  
  
Then next thing that happened was so uncontrollable for him; he shook her gently hoping she would wake up.  
  
"Aiko, Aiko please wake up . . . please."  
  
His gentle shakes brought a twitch or two to Aiko's eyes and quickly Okita stopped, watching her slowly wake up from her dead sleep.  
  
Aiko cracked open her eyes and only saw the blurry tints of the room, but as she continued to blink and her hearing soon realizing slow breathing above her a face formed above her. Her eyes opened extremely quickly, as she threw herself upon the man she wanted to see again. And in turn two arms wrapped around her, grasping her ever so tightly. He was happy to have her again, to hold her in his arms again . . .

* * *

A loud crash came as the woman jumped back with her dagger in hand; she landed and approached Long quickly with the blade infront of her. Long hit it away with his Chinese sword by throwing it into the air but as he did so, she jumped once more and kicked him in the chest pushing him away. When she landed she began he stance once more and came quickly after the man who had got up once more. The distance between them both was becoming smaller as she advanced to him. Again jumping into the air she came down on him with a downward punch making him fall back to the dirty floor once more. A sound of frustration came from the man on the floor as he gripped tighter on his sword and swung it at her only cutting open her clothing and not connecting with her.  
  
Long leaped up from the floor threw his sword in a curvy pattern at her. Jumping back and doing a back flip, Qi threw the dagger to her side and instantaneously pulled out from behind her the two steel fans and ran at Long. Swiftly dodging his sword she slid to his legs and hit them with her fans. Again Long fell to the floor, his sword flying away from him and stabbing the floor beneath them. Qi stood up slowly this time and watched Long's body but was rather shocked when she heard deep laughter from the man.  
  
"Rather funny, I can try all I want to hit you but you always seem to knock me down at the last moment. You haven't even used any of you special attacks on me yet. I feel kinda hurt because of that."  
  
Qi stared intensely at the man now watching him roll over onto his back.  
  
"You're stronger then me and that's that, father picked a good leader, better then me but surely . . . Ling is MUCH better than YOU!"  
  
Throwing three ninja stars at her, Qi attempted to roll off to her side and stand up again. Long's hand fell to the floor, and a disappointed look crossed his face.  
  
"Stronger huh?"  
  
Long's eye's widened a bit as he stared at the ground.  
  
"When have I been stronger?"  
  
His hand went into a tight fist.  
  
"The only reason why I am able to dodge every single attack is because something is on your mind constantly."  
  
He grated his teeth and his hand slowly went for the belt around him.  
  
"Or maybe, it's because of the fact that I was the one who ended your father's life."  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
Long rose to his feet with the feeling of anger coming from him, and the sense of death surely occupied that anger.  
  
"You say that like it was what he wanted!"  
  
Calmly and coolly Qi replied, "No, it's not like that at all, your father had a job to fulfill until the end. Every time you yell at me because of your father's death I simply laugh." The shine of her fan reflected into his eyes, "You find it horrible that you just lost your father when I . . ."  
  
(_Somebody help me_!)  
  
"I . . ."  
  
(_Sister, father? . . . PLEASE COME SAVE ME_!)  
  
Qi kept her eyes closed and tilted her head downward, "I never got to even grow up with my family, to laugh with them and cry with them. My mother died giving birth to me and my father was killed here in Japan, the only family I really still have is the woman you captured."  
  
Long smiled, "I thought that if I killed her then you'd feel the same pain I'm going through. That's why I –"  
  
"YOU self-conceited, blinded FOOL!"  
  
Qi slid the fan back into their rightful spots behind her legs, "Can't you figure it out, your father died because he wanted someone else to be the leader, that's how it goes!"  
  
Long's eyes widened even more to her comment.  
  
"Think about it, you're father was ill, dying and didn't REALLY want his family to die so quickly! He said you two weren't ready for the real world!"  
  
"Then why the hell were you picked instead of us!"  
  
"Because, unlike you, I have seen what wars can do to people. I have seen how horrible a person can turn from good too bad. SO DON'T THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!!"  
  
"That's it!"  
  
Long jumped into the air and came crashing downward toward her body, but the moment he landed by her he no longer wanted to move. Afraid of what had happened he could already taste to bitterness in his mouth and the excruciating pain overwhelming him. The sickening sound of the blade coming out of him made a ball in his neck and he fell to the floor.  
  
"Ta . . . kara . . . . . why?"  
  
Qi looked down at the man in pain; blood slowly making it's way away from his body.  
  
"Long, I left the name Isami Takara behind me ever since I went to China. But don't think that I won't defend myself because you're the former leader's son!"  
  
He said nothing but instead lay there and felt all his energy rush away from him.  
  
"Listen to me Long, in that battle with your father I realized I wouldn't be able to walk away from it but I would be killed if I didn't kill him. I know how it feels to loose a father but then again do you know how it feels to never really have any true family by your side?"  
  
"Takara."  
  
She stepped nearer to him, her deep brown eyes not changing from a second ago.  
  
"I'll finish what is in my way, I'll finish the traitor."  
  
"Save . . ."  
  
Takara stopped going near to him, his last word going through his shallow breaths.  
  
" . . . Please save . . . . the clan."  
  
Takara's eyes widened in shock as she rushed to him grabbing the front of his shirt she pulled him up to her.  
  
"What do you mean save the clan? What the HELL did you do?!"  
  
It was to late, Long was gone, there would be no more words coming from him. Takara released her grip on his shirt and the Chinese man fell to the bloody ground to soak once more in his blood. Her hands shook fiercely and clamped into tight fists, turning she ran away with all her might toward the one place where her feelings drove her.  
  
"The clan is being attacked."

* * *

Both men smiled happily at the sight in front of them, but then humorously laughed at it. They never knew he had it in him. The sight of him holding onto Aiko's tired body, as smiles both passed over each of them. Aiko and Okita had finally found each other, their joy passing through each other. He was happy he hadn't failed protecting her and she was happy that he hadn't died by trying to find her. 

Tbc . . .

* * *

Next Chapter

* * *

In the deepest of darkness waits the soul of a child, hoping to the one to save him from peril. In the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?"

* * *

Reviews

* * *

Incadove: Laughs, well thank you with the little harem story that you added, I think everyone gave a little laugh. Took me long enough to write this GOSH DARN CHAPTER! I kill, I kill it dead!  
  
JadeGoddess: I hope this chapter cleared everything up in you head, Laughs Ok, since I passed this chapter I can tell you. Takara is Qi, Qi is a Chinese name and Takara lived in Japan for five years of her life until the Osaka incident when she was shipped to China on accident. The Leader of the Art of Phoenix called her Qi over there in China and she uses that as her alias. Long used Aiko to get Takara out into the open so that . . . well I have to tell you the rest in the next chapter TEE HEE!

* * *

AN: (jumps up and down with joy) YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! It's over with er the chapter is anyway.... Eh hehehe! This chapter sucked but turned out relatively good I think.  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	15. Chapter 14: Death

AN: ...... .... PEPSI!!!!!!! MUST HAVE! GIVE ME!  
  
Disclaimer: "_pepsi_".... Don't own ....."_pepsi_" ....RK .... "_Pepppppsssssiiiiiiii_ ...."

* * *

_**Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 14: Death**_

* * *

_"A longing pain deep within  
  
Hope lost forever  
  
A silent sin  
  
He buried his face in her arm  
  
And red liquid so very thin  
  
Tears rolled down her eyes  
  
From being the fool she has been  
  
And from deep within the child's mind  
  
Was not a tear, nor a lie  
  
It was a flash of hope  
  
That made her reply  
  
I'm sorry this happened  
  
Please don't die . . ." ione_

* * *

Early Morning  
  
June 13, 1879

* * *

The woman held her arms around his neck, a small hint of happiness showed on her pale face. Resting her head on his shoulder and smiling to herself, 'He did come for me I knew he would.'  
  
"Nagakura-san, there's only one thing I don't understand." Said the puzzled Okita, leaning forward to hold Aiko on his back. "Why did you capture Aiko if you already knew it was her?"  
  
Nagakura gave a crocked grin to his old companion, "Well, when there's a cute former Chief's daughter to captured who wouldn't do such a thing?" Nagakura laughed at his dry comment, the once evil but cheerful voice diminishing ever so slightly. The small man sighed, and rose his hands behind his head.  
  
"Actually, since it was Aiko that was needed to be captured we were kinda wondering why that man wanted to deal with Aiko. He wanted us to kill the Okashira Phoenix so badly."  
  
Okita's eyes darted over to the two men walking beside him with a rather shocked expression.  
  
"It's so funny though, the rumors over in China say that the Okashira Phoenix is so strong that it has to be a man. I guess they were wrong." The two men became to laugh hysterically but Okita couldn't help but look back at the time when he actually saw her. Something about her seemed too familiar, almost as if he'd seen her before. He began to ponder on all the possible things on how he could recognize her. Aiko slightly opened her eyes to see the two friendly men at her and Okita's side and behind them, walls of trees with branches sloping downward.  
  
Okita stopped rather suddenly making everyone confused, all of them now turned their eyes to the stunned man.  
  
"Aiko, may I ask you something?"  
  
"Ah common Souji! Not now that stuff comes much later!" Said the deep voiced Harada.  
  
"What is it Souji?"  
  
"What ever happened to Takara?"  
  
Aiko lowered her eyes to see the soft blue gi under her, "She escaped to China, why?"  
  
"Souji! Let's talk about this when we get some food . . ."  
  
Nagakura looked up at his friend with a glare, "And whom do you expect to pay for that meal Sano?"  
  
Harada gave a big cheesy grin, "Why you of course!"  
  
"SANO! WE DIDN'T GET THE MONEY REMEMBER!"  
  
"WE DIDN'T!? Why that cheapskate! It's not fair!"  
  
"Guess we won't be eating for a while."  
  
"NOOOOO!!!! MUST HAVE FOOD! Why Kami-sama why? Don't be cruel to me now, I'll die if I don't have food in my . . . my . . . hey Shinpach-san?"  
  
Nagakura took a step forward and looked back at his groveling friend, "Nani?"  
  
"Where is it that the food goes?"  
  
"ANIME DROP"  
  
Aiko busted up laughing, covering her mouth quickly to prevent it from being too loud. She couldn't help by being sarcastic to the poor guy, "It's the s-t-o-m-a-c-h Harada-san!"  
  
With that said everyone laughed, yes, it was going to be a rather nice day . . . as long as Tokio didn't mind having two more men in the house.

* * *

Soft chirping sounds from the birds grew slightly louder as she opened the shoji. Letting in all of the early morning's rays onto here face. Outside it seemed to be calm but inside this cage of hers, she only paced the floor hoping for both of their safety. Raising her hand and resting it on the wall the old woman sighed.  
  
"Do you think their alright?" her voice just a tone lower then usual as she looked back to her husband.  
  
There was no reply, Tokio forgot about the question and looked back to the courtyard. It had been only a night that they had been gone, but something inside her was telling her that something had happened. Wouldn't they have already been back if everything were all right?  
  
That last thought made her shut her mind completely, slowly closing the shoji in front of her making the room which was at one time full of light become dark once more. She glanced once more back to the space behind her and to her husband's mess of papers. Maybe he could live through the greatest events but could a man that had a disease and desperately wanted to save his love no matter what.  
  
Okita was truly an honorable man . . .  
  
Then the strange sound of the gate door rang in her ears, and the thought of them walking through it made her open the shoji once again. Running down their engawa to get to the front part of their home, but her steps came to a slow pace when she did see the front gate with no one in it. Tokio swung her head to the front door, and quickly walked to it, noticing it was open to. And she could her soft voices from beyond. Tokio stepped inside the living room to see four people inside it, two sitting and two standing.  
  
Okita was there sitting by a sleeping Aiko and the other two she didn't know who they were but as of this moment she didn't care.  
  
"Okita-san."  
  
The man's head turned slightly toward her, "Tokio-san?"  
  
Tokio smiled and stepped closer to the two and looked at Okita's hands, but in them were the last remaining part of bandages.  
  
"Okita-san?"  
  
But Okita had returned her smile, "It's alright Tokio-san there is only a few cuts."  
  
"Hn, so you made it back after all."  
  
Everyone's face turned to the door to see Saitou standing against the wall and looking down at him with a crocked smile, but that was strange, it was the kind he would show his enemy's.  
  
'Oh kami-sama, I'm in trouble.'  
  
Not knowing what to say Okita grinned at Saitou, except his grin was much different, it was what he would give his men back in the days of the Shinsengumi. The 'Don't fuck with me or you'll regret it.' Saitou's grin increased, saving Aiko must've taught him a valuable concept that he forgot.  
  
"SAITOU-SAN!" Both men said with enthusiasm, "wow, you're alive to!"  
  
Both Harada and Nagakura began walking closer to him until Saitou said in a deep voice, "Don't come near me!"  
  
Pale faced with blue lines running down from their forehead both men backed away with cheesy grins on. Tokio now had made her spot right by Aiko's side and had grabbed the bandage away from Okita.  
  
Raising a cigarette up to his mouth slowly he prepared to inhale the smoke.  
  
"So, was it the Okashira Phoenix?"  
  
Okita smiled and closed his eyes, "No, just some person that wanted her dead."  
  
Before the cigarette reached to his mouth it had stopped and slightly was lowered.  
  
"Her?"  
  
Laughing Okita nodded, "Hai, hai!"  
  
Glancing to Nagakura and to Harada he pointed his thumb to them, "And what about these two morons?"  
  
The comment didn't affect Harada that much, shrugging it off like the old days but Nagakura, well, became an inferno.  
  
"HEY! Who are you calling a moron!?"  
  
Saitou stayed quiet and puffed at his cigarette, Tokio had to resist the urge to tell him to go outside for just this one time.  
  
"Oi, Saitou-san we're extremely sorry that we did what we did so please forgive us."  
  
Saitou quirked an eyebrow and looked down at Nagakura who looked completely shocked.  
  
"You need to be more like him."  
  
"NANI!? Why I outta!"  
  
But before he was actually able to get his hands at the grinning evilly man, he was stopped quickly by Okita. Springing from his seat by Aiko and grabbing the elder man's gi from the back he pulled him back to the floor.  
  
"Nagakura-san, I think there's been enough fighting for one day ne?"  
  
Glaring up at the slightly smiling face of Okita he turned his head away, "Hmpf!"

* * *

Takara leaped into the air once more, feeling more dread every time she did so. Clearing the walls of trees she saw a smoldering tree village. Unable to land on one of the homes for fear she would get burned and fall through she jumped from a nearby branch and headed for the training corridor. When she landed she quickly ran inside the hall that was not full of smoke and hoped for the best.  
  
Then she smelt it, the smell of a coppery substance mixed with sweat. She could see the door but when she made it there, she almost wished she hadn't even decided to come. Suddenly she could breath because of the sight.  
  
Blood was everywhere, on the walls and on the bodies of her men. Their bodies torn and slashed, some head slightly coming off and some were already. A floor no longer the color of gray but of red, with large splatters covering the walls and the corpses soaked in theirs and others blood. She stepped forward into the mess, hearing the sickening splattering sound as she stepped into the blood. Walking over the corpses and well as she could, hoping to see a survivor or two. The air now becoming so thick it was even hard to move.  
  
Her foot moved upward over another body but soon became caught in that body's belt as she could feel herself fall onto her hands but even her arms felt weak. Takara fell into the blood bath, covering the front side of her, soaking herself in the blood that she swore she would protect. Shaking she pushed herself off the floor and moved her knees under her. Everyone was gone, they were all gone, no longer among the living to believe in their leader, to see their families once again.  
  
Takara choked on what it seemed to be tears that she could also not overthrow as her blood covered hands went into fists and went up to her eyes. She didn't cry when Long's father died, when she assassinated those people, or when she killed Long, so why was she now crying?  
  
'Get control of yourself! They were just men, nothing more nothing less.'  
  
She shook her head and pushed her hands harder into her face.  
  
Then, a silent shuffle came from just beyond her and her hands quickly dropped to her knees to push her to a standing position. Quickly stepped over the torn men she saw the one thing that caused her to stopped immediately. A man's head sliced off, and under him the small form of a small boy.  
  
"Mareo!" Takara yelled out into the room, which echoed eerily. She grabbed the man's shoulder and shoved him off the child and stared sadly at the child's body that seemed to be stabbed through his stomach. Her hands went to him and slowly under him to raise him into her shaking bloody arms. Blood coming from his mouth and nose, scratch marks all over his face.  
  
"Mareo, hey come on now open you . . . your eyes."  
  
Nothing happened once so ever.  
  
"Mareo, open your eyes . . . that's . . . that's an order!"  
  
Then she swore she could hear the child swallow and saw him open his mouth slightly.  
  
"Mareo say something."  
  
"Leader." Came a voice so inaudible that she had to strain to hear it, "I'm glad you came back leader."  
  
Her hands tightened on the child's body, a tear escaping and falling onto his face and gradually making its way down his cheek. The last thing that she wanted was his death, and the death of her men, her followers. She raised the lifeless body up to her shoulder and held him.  
  
_'Something inside me that pulls beneath the surface  
  
Consuming, confusing . . .'  
_  
"Hey, I'm surprised we let one live, now had did that happen?" said a deep and sarcastic voice from behind her.  
  
"Four men, two with strong ki's." Takara laid Mareo down onto the blood red floor under them and cautiously stood.  
  
_'This lack of self control I fear it's never ending  
  
Controlling, I can't seem . . .'  
_  
One of the men stepped forward onto a body, and began to crunch it under his weight. Laughing as he did so.  
  
_'I can't find myself again  
  
My walls are closing in . . .'_  
  
They watch the woman turn her head around but what they saw was something they weren't quite ready for, a woman with a bloodthirsty look in her eye.  
  
"What the hell!?"  
  
_'I've felt this way before  
  
So insecure . . .'_  
  
"Never mind that, kill her!"  
  
They all rushed toward Takara with a cruel pace and she watched them step all over the bodies of the dead. Truly, she would make them regret even the most petty of things they have done in their life.  
  
_'Crawling in my skin  
  
These wounds they will not heal . . .'_  
  
The ninja quickly grabbed for her iron fans and jumped into the air. 'They'll regret killing Mareo!'  
  
_'Fear is how I Fall  
  
Confusing what is real . . .'_  
  
Takara kicked off the wall and spun herself into a circle, the distance between the men becoming smaller each second.  
  
_'Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me  
  
Distracting, reacting . . .'  
_  
Before the men had any time to react to her attack, they could feel a sharp object rip through them like rice paper. Feeling it go through them more then once, and seeing the world around them from a different angle.  
  
_'Against my will I stand beside my own reflection  
  
It's haunting how I can't seem . . .'  
_  
Blood once again gushing everywhere behind her back, her arms to both sides of her body and her face speckled with the warm red liquid that came from her prey. All of them fell without a fight, and their blood disgracing the men that fought for her.  
  
_'To find myself again  
  
My walls are closing in . . .'_  
  
She looked back at them and also turned her body toward them, stepping forward for another blow to their already dying bodies.  
  
_"I've felt this way before  
  
So insecure!'  
_  
Grabbing her dagger she stomped on the first man's chest, breaking his ribs and making him cough up blood. She walked on him to get to the next person who was on his back wheezing. She kicked him forcefully into his side, jamming the broken ribs into his lungs. The next person beyond him was nearly almost dead, just his breathing remained. Standing beside him, she brought her foot over the top of his neck and used all the anger to push down onto him. And without notice, the man's neck broke under her weight and he could feel nothing any longer. After him was a man that was already dead but she didn't care, walking up to him in rage she kneeled beside him and pointed her dagger over his heart. Nothing stopped her now as raised her other hand onto the top of her dagger and jabbed it into the heart of the man and left it there.  
  
She stood up and walked toward the boy that she had left laying on the floor and picked him up into her arms. Takara turned around and walked past all of the men that she had previously killed and walked out into the open to bury the child's corpse.

* * *

Shoving the piece of wood into the cold earth Takara stood back and stared at it. Burying him up by a cliff seemed like the place that he would want to be buried.  
  
"You know, if I hadn't kidnapped you, if I hadn't taken you away from your family then you wouldn't be dead." She smiled, "I can kill, I can hate, and I can train but there is only one major flaw in me and that was to protect my clan."  
  
Takara took another step backward and bowed, "My love for the martial arts and my power on doing what ever I want I abused. I am sorry Mareo Ninji."  
  
With that said she turned back into the forest that she had came from and disappeared into the darkness once more.  
  
_'Crawling in my skin  
  
These wounds they will not heal  
  
Fear is how I fall  
  
Confusing what is real . . .'_

* * *

Next chapter

* * *

. . . do I have to say?

* * *

Reviews

* * *

JadeGoddess: "Laughs" Bwahahahahaha! I RULE, I think you're the only one I've REALLY confused in a long time. Kay listen: When I was watching Samurai X and RK and watched what the hit men did I soon kind of realized that when they take the job they can't back out of it. Plus when they found out they had to capture Aiko they wondered why the man wanted to capture her. So they stuck with it but if you noticed they took care of her unlike Long where he hurt her. So there you go, I hope that cleared things up.  
  
Incadove: OH OH OH! You liked that chapter I hoped you liked this one even more cause it only took me TWO days. Mwahahahaha! Love this chapter so far and I really love writing about this story again. Writers block broke FINALLY! YAY! LOL! Well with me being alone all day I'm probably going to write on the next chapter now so- TOODLES . . . toodles... TODOU'S LOL!

* * *

AN: I do not own the song in this chapter, it belongs to Linkin Park. Thank you!  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	16. Chapter 15: First Signs

AN: Alrighty people, last few chapters were the turning points of the story plus I had this chapter come after a few months now. HEY I have my reasons and I assure you everything is going to turn out awesome. For those of you who are absolutely confused as to why Aiko didn't go and search for her sister there are 3 reasons: 1 is Aiko was so depressed that she barely even left the house. 2 back then in that time getting a boat ride to China cost MONEY! Something that she didn't have. And 3 back then Chinese people loathed the Japanese.  
  
Disclaimer: don't own RK characters, but do own Takara and Aiko!

* * *

_**Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 15: First Signs**_

* * *

"You know I think it's about time we move to get out of Saitou-san's hair."  
  
"You're right, I also believe it would be better so that they can get more time together."  
  
"HA HA, the only time they get to see each other is when he's in his room looking over documents."  
  
"That's true."

* * *

_October 17 1879_

* * *

It's been at least four months since she had been saved, and it seemed that life was taking a toll on her. She felt like she was growing more and more into a woman like her father wanted, and no doubt it was because Okita is always with her. Her long black hair had been trimmed not to long ago, leaving it at least two inches shorter. Since her favorite kimono was ruined the day she was cut on the arm she bought a new kimono and wore that until the weather took a drastic change.  
  
The cherry blossoms became weak and fell of the branches of the trees, turning into piles of brown. It had been especially hard on Okita as well, with the weather changing from warm weather to cold weather; it seemed he started to get paler by each day. Whenever Aiko asked him if there was something wrong he would shrug it off and laugh saying, "I hate winter, every thing dies during it."  
  
They lived in a new house; not a large one like Saitou's but it could accommodate her and Okita. Nothing has happened in bad news, the tales of the Okashira Phoenix slowly disappeared into nothing and every one forgot about it.  
  
Aiko walked down the alley, drains already filled with water from the previous rains. People staying inside for shelter from the bad weather. Holding some vegetables in her basket she carefully carried it back home. The bottom of her dark green kimono soaked from the puddles on the road and her feet she could no longer feel. It was usually like this though, Okita would stay home and she would go out to the market place for shopping. Even though he would tell her that he was coming along with her Aiko would say no and tell him to stay.  
  
Aiko laughed, she is beginning to act like a mother to him. But she's worried about him, she doesn't like the fact that the color in his face is leaving and he's beginning to have more fevers then usual. Okita is starting to become so weak that he refuses to leave bed.  
  
'Just like a little child not wanting to leave the warmth of his bed.'  
  
When Aiko came back home she opened door to see the small living room that barely had anything in it. There was a lamp in the corner along with a clock and Aiko's sewing. Taking off her shoes and setting them by the door she made her way to the kitchen to set the vegetables in their rightful places, on the burner. Pulling out herbs and spices that Tokio had given her she began her task of making dinner.  
  
Suddenly two arms wrapped around her small frame giving her a jolt upward. Warm breathing hitting her neck, stinging it like a thousand needles. She moved her shoulder and turned her head to his resting by her neck.  
  
"That was quite a long shopping list Aiko."  
  
Aiko smiled and her hands went up to his, "It was the rain, it came from no where yet again I'm afraid."  
  
Using a slightly higher tone this time he buried his head deeper in her hair and closer to her neck, "Hn, is that so?"  
  
A small chuckle came from Aiko's mouth and she continued to hold his hands in hers.  
  
"You don't smell like the rain or don't seem wet."  
  
Damn he caught her.  
  
"So, what exactly were you doing?"  
  
Aiko turned around to face him, her eyes stayed closed as she stepped closer to him. When she opened her eyes she almost wished she didn't, the paleness of his face and the tiredness that appeared in his eyes hit her like train. Her small smile slowly diminishing as she stared at him, "I went to go see how Tokio was doing."  
  
The silence between them lingered for quite a while after that, both of them not moving from their places by each other. The feeling was becoming a bit uncomfortable so Aiko took a step away from him.  
  
Okita was a little puzzled and sort of angry; she had left just to see Tokio when she clearly said she was going to go out shopping. She had never left without him except to go shopping usually she would want him to go with her over there but today, it was different. Okita grinned and shook his head returning his gaze to her face, "And how is Tokio-san doing these days?"  
  
Aiko's face locked with his once more, "Saitou-san has left due to police business."  
  
Okita looked away and turned around, "Is that so?"  
  
The feeling of cold over swept her, and Aiko's arms crossed over her chest. What was she doing, she needed to fix them something to eat before they both pass out. Taking a deep breath Aiko turned back to her food and once again began to make dinner.

* * *

'Harumasa residence, where?'  
  
The name Harumasa hit her as a rather strange name, why would someone use that as a last name. The soft sounds of mud squishing underneath her shoes made her cringe, almost reminding her of that tragic day. There was only one person she could actually talk to about this, just one time to see her that's all she wanted. Of course people stared at her because of the clothing she was wearing, a black cape with a hood basically protecting her head from the rain that was fast approaching. She looked back and forth down the dull street in lower town Tokyo; nobody was outside to help her with directions.  
  
'Damn, why did they have to move?!'  
  
It WAS a lot easier for her to find that person but no-, they wanted to move to a place that she tried to avoid in the first place. Looking to her right where another board name was, she quickly smiled, "Harumasa, there you ARE!"  
  
Quickly walking up to the shoji, she only knocked twice and waited. Her brown eyes wandering off to another direction, observing the surroundings of the place. Nothing big, everything was the same so she really didn't need to look around. Suddenly a sound came from behind the door and her eyes drifted back to the now opening shoji. And behind it was exactly the person she wanted to see. The woman in black smiled at the figure, "I found you."  
  
Her smile slowly went into a frown as she noticed the person in front of her didn't react to what she said.  
  
"May I help you?"  
  
Her frown deepened and her eyes squinted, "Don't you remember me?"  
  
Completely drawn back by the question Aiko straightened up and opened the shoji even more now. The woman that stood in front of her seemed so tired, but for some odd reason Aiko knew those eyes. So in the doorway she stood thinking, puzzled to the girl in front of her dressed in black. Unexpectedly the girl turned her gaze from Aiko in complete anger once more, "Of course you wouldn't remember me, just like last time."  
  
Aiko's eyes widened, "You're the . . . the . . ."  
  
Her eyes went back up to Aiko and she could feel herself once again choke on her tears, "Okashira Phoenix."  
  
Aiko abruptly covered her mouth and moved backward away from the woman in black.  
  
Okita watched as Aiko back away from the front shoji, he could only see the black cape but the fact that the okashira came here was completely disturbing.  
  
"Nope, it's just like the last time. I was stupid to come by here to see you."  
  
Okita's eyes widened and he instantly stood up and slammed open the shoji. The girl had already spun around and began to walk away. But as he made his way to the shoji Aiko quickly misunderstood his reaction.  
  
"Wait stop Ta-"  
  
"I came here to see if she remembered me, but it seems that I was stupid to think that a woman who is upset about something else is going to remember about her past life. Don't say who I am, just let her continue thinking I'm the Okashira Phoenix."  
  
Okita ran out of the shoji into the cold weather and soon felt his body temperature drop. But, he knew who she was, and she deserved to see and talk with her sister. The woman in black began to step forward once more, but Okita wouldn't allow her to walk away this time.  
  
"I won't let her continue to think that."  
  
The girl stopped momentarily and looked back to the man standing in the alleyway.  
  
"You won't will you? Though it seems like you've let her leave you alone many times and you don't feel she should leave."  
  
By this time, Aiko walked out of their home with a jacket in her arms. Once again spinning around to walk away Okita spoke up, "Don't let her believe in something that is false Takara."  
  
Shocked by the name she stared at Okita with wide eyes, "Souji is that true?"  
  
Once again Takara choked on her tears, her jaw quivering as she stopped in her tracks. He said her name, he at least knew who she was.  
  
Okita took a step forward and smiled, "I knew you looked familiar when I saw you fighting that ninja, I just couldn't tell if it truly was you. After all, the last time we saw you was when you were just a small child hiding behind her big sister and father."  
  
Kami did it hurt to hear this out of his mouth, out of someone else's mouth instead of her sister's.  
  
"You grown so much Takara, now I think you're almost taller then me!" Okita chuckled as he stared at the back of Takara.  
  
Aiko couldn't believe it, for some odd reason she couldn't see her little sister anymore. Aiko walked toward the girl in black, "Takara, is it really you?"  
  
Takara's muscles tightened at her voice, it was so gentle just like Okita's but that was certainly not the voice of the brave girl Takara knew.  
  
"I guess many things can change sisters ne?"  
  
Aiko smiled, "Many, many things can happen in eleven years Takara."  
  
Takara didn't move but she could hear Aiko move toward her. Kami, let me have the strength to run, don't let me be stuck here in a sad world. Then, something touched her back, a hand more then likely Aiko's, that made Takara turn her gaze to her sister. Aiko became shocked by the look in her eyes, it was so much like the look her father possessed.  
  
"Takara, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you . . . but . . . I do remember you."  
  
That broke it, the wall between Aiko and her finally broke and those same tears and before that became to heavy to any longer bear. And she could feel the tears run down her face, her head quickly turned to Aiko, tears flying away as she did so and before Aiko could react she could feel the young woman sobbing in her arms.  
  
Okita stood there by the front shoji, watching the two hold each other. But in no time Okita got the chills and walked inside the home, crossing his arms over his chest to try to warm his body up once more. It wasn't helping, his body continued to feel cold.  
  
He had stayed out there to long.

* * *

Aiko looked down at her sister and pushed her gently away from her. Aiko knew she had to get back inside, not only because the food was probably ready for boiling but she knew Okita was probably coming down with something once more.  
  
"Lets go in the house alright Takara, then you can tell me everything while I finish making dinner."  
  
Takara nodded and she followed her sister inside the room, of course Takara closed the door behind her and saw her sister pointing her to the kitchen. Nodding once more her hands rose to eyes as she wiped away all the cold tears on her cheek and proceeded toward the kitchen.

* * *

Aiko closed the door behind her and looked back to the man in the corner who was shivering. Sighing she made her way to him and knelt down by him, wrapping him up in the jacket she had been holding. Okita grabbed the sides of the jacket and pulled them together. Aiko's hand reached up to his forehead, noticing he had trimmed his bangs but not the rest of his hair, and again he had it pulled back into a low pony-tail. He wasn't sweating so he didn't have a fever but he acted like he had been pushed into the snow and left there.  
  
"I pushed it by being out there for so long."  
  
Her hand fell back to her lap as she watched him shudder every once and a while. Wrapping her right arms around his shoulders she pulled him against her warm body, and Okita couldn't help but rest his head so close to her neck.  
  
"Arigato Souji."  
  
At this time Okita wasn't listening, he was just enjoying the closeness between him and her. Her steady breathing and the warming effect from her body made him feel almost like he wasn't sick. Without noticing it, Okita fell into a soft and peaceful sleep on her. Aiko stared down at the sleeping man basically curled up by her, clinging for her warmth. Removing her hand from behind him, she reached for the futon only an arm length away and pulled it toward them both. Carefully pushing him into the corner once more, she pulled the futon over him for warmth and then stood.  
  
Silently walking out of the room, reopening the door and then closing it behind her when she turned for the kitchen a young face appeared. Aiko jumped and covered her mouth with her hand, but suddenly had the urge to slap her.  
  
"What took you so long in there?"  
  
Why was everyone questioning what she did?  
  
"I just covered him up, that's all."  
  
Takara raised an eyebrow, "right."  
  
Waving off the question Aiko made her way to the kitchen and began to reach for things that were in her grasp.  
  
"So, what is it?"  
  
Takara raised her eyes to her sister who obviously knew what she was doing, "That's funny I don't take you for the cooking type."  
  
Aiko stopped what she was doing, "Takara."  
  
"Of course I only remember you as the girl who always had a shinai in her hands."  
  
Her hands lowered from the top of the pot, "What are you avoiding?"  
  
"Oh how I remember the days where Okita-san would knock you a good one and you would start crying."  
  
'Hey wait I don't remember that!'  
  
Aiko looked back at Takara who had her hands flat together with a small grin across her face.  
  
"Takara listen to me."  
  
Then Takara put her index finger to her cheek and looked up, "Then there was that time when Harada-san nearly wanted to-"  
  
"Takara! Stop avoiding the reason you're here."  
  
Takara glanced over at her sister with a sad look in her eyes, her hands dropping to her sides. It was clear that while being the Okashira Phoenix there was a lot put on her shoulders. There must've been so much pain these past four months that made the rumors die down more.  
  
"I don't really know how to explain this so lemme give it a try alright."  
  
Aiko smiled and nodded, going back to her recipe Takara continued.  
  
"When we begin to think about our past we start to wonder if we could've done anything to stop an event from happening ne? We ponder our lives without even knowing what is going to happen next and we shed the tears that we believed were unknown inside our own hearts. I used to believe that I would always be saved that I wouldn't have to do anything to change the world."  
  
Takara turned her head away from the light.  
  
"I learned quickly that in a world of pain and sorrow you have to be strong no matter what."  
  
A painful shot of her slicing open an elder man's throat flashed in her man and his scream echoed in her head.  
  
"And that even if you believe in someone, it doesn't mean that you will be betrayed."  
  
Another painful shot went through her mind except this time it was Long lying on the floor with blood running from his mouth.  
  
"You can lose something you hold so dear, and not realize it but when you see it, it seems your feelings take a dramatic turn."  
  
'Mareo.'  
  
Takara looked at Aiko who now had stopped moving altogether and returned her gaze to her little sister.  
  
"I . . . I lost that something four months ago. I lost the only person that truly believed in me and always followed me. To bad that person was no more then a child, no older then nine."  
  
Aiko's eyes drifted down to the floor away from the face of Takara.  
  
"When I saw him laying there, helpless I realized how stupid I really was. I took him away from a family that probably could've taken care of him. It hurts to think about it and the fact that it was my fault appalls me."  
  
Aiko blinked twice before she returned her gaze at the younger sister that everyone had come to love.  
  
"Takara . . . I can't say for sure on how it exactly feels but it is close enough."  
  
The young girl turned her gaze to her sister and connected with her.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Can you imagine being a fourteen year-old girl and watching our father's head be cut off."  
  
Takara's expression went from skeptical too completely shocked. Aiko had watched their father die in front of her, and was probably unable to do a single thing. Was it that, which broke her sister from being the brave girl that she was? Or was it the fact that Okita had came back, both ideas didn't seem logical to her.  
  
Silence lingered between them, both just continued on what they were doing.

* * *

Aiko set the table down in front of her sister, "If you're here then at least you can eat right?"  
  
Takara sat down by the table that had rice, vegetables and some sauce to go along with it. Oh well, they say eat to your hearts content, so why refuse?

* * *

Aiko again set the small table down but this time opened a shoji and picked it up once more. Walking to the other side of the room to where he sat sleeping, she once again sat the table down beside her and reached up to run the back of her fingers against his chin. With a start, he woke up and glanced at her then closed his eyes again.  
  
"Hey," her hand now going to the side of his head, "don't fall asleep on me again."  
  
Okita's eyes slightly opened and looked at her, it was more of a glare though. He wanted some sleep and wasn't in the mood for food at the moment.  
  
"Souji, you need to eat."  
  
Swallowing hard Okita moved the blanket off of him and looked down at his table. Aiko sat back and smiled, "I made you some rice and miso soup so please eat it."  
  
Rolling his eyes his head slumped to the side and he closed his eyes once more.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I don't want any."  
  
Aiko's hand stopped in mid air as she stared at the man trying to sleep. Softly and quietly saying, "What?"  
  
Okita glared once more, he didn't want to raise his voice at her for fear she'll take it the wrong way. He was just so- tired, he wanted to sleep, not to eat, not to stand up, not to move at all."  
  
"I don't want any."  
  
Aiko sat back her hands falling to her lap as she saw him slowly drifting to sleep. Something was wrong, he didn't want to eat, and he never really enjoys moving now, plus all he wants to do is sleep. Something was terribly wrong.  
  
"Souji . . ."  
  
But now words couldn't reach him, Okita was becoming deathly ill now and she needed to do something about it, but what? Her head lowered in her thinking process and thoughts drifted through her head.

* * *

'Kami, her ki went down from reassurance to sadness, I screwed up.'  
  
Not this time, Okita wouldn't look at her this time and see the pain in her eyes.  
  
(Someday I will leave and you will have to be strong. But for now, for the time that remains, I will stay with you Aiko, I promise.)  
  
Okita's stomach turned at the memory, he had said that to her and now it is becoming rather hard to keep that promise. But back then he didn't feel like this, he always wanted to be up and moving. Why, why did he become so weak after a few idle months with Aiko?  
  
"I'll go tell Takara to leave after she's done eating."  
  
Okita opened his eyes and made eye contact with Aiko and the shades of her face seemed grow brighter when he smiled. But what truly threw her off was him speaking to her, "Ah, but Aiko you should speak with her since she is your sister."  
  
Aiko bit her bottom lip and looked away from him, "Right now she just needs some more time to be alone."  
  
Another movement that threw Aiko off guard was he sitting straight up and the table in front of him he eyed. Taking a deep breath he once again looked at her, "What exactly do you mean? Don't you think that she's been alone for quite long enough."  
  
"Well, of course I do but she . . . she really needs to things out on her own. I'm not a good big sister to good I'm more into silencing myself."  
  
He turned his head away from her to the window; he wouldn't be able to see the stars tonight.  
  
"To be quiet when needed be is a lady, but Aiko, please don't act like a lady around me."  
  
With that last comment said she stood up and walked away stopping at the door and putting one hand on it.  
  
"It is what my father wanted."  
  
Okita smiled, 'Now you're just avoiding me aren't you Aiko?'  
  
The sound of the shoji opening then closing relaxed him for the simple fact that while he was talking the burning in his chest had come back. He took another look at the table by his feet and whimpered before pulling it toward him. Of course the miso soup looked really delicious and the rice looked fine, in the end he always loved eating her food. Not only because he loved her cooking but also because she made it with her own hands. Picking up his chopsticks he began to eat the miso soup and well, really regretted saying he didn't want any.

* * *

The quietness in the house seemed to relax her, that and her sewing is getting much better then what it used to. But when the door to their bedroom opened she stopped all movements. He doesn't sleep walk so what is he doing staying up so late.  
  
It was almost as though he read her thoughts he said, "I couldn't sleep."  
  
She went back to her sewing once more by the light and ignored the next movement that he made. Sitting down by her wasn't so hard to accept now; she had grown used to him always sitting by her.  
  
Then a hand covered up her stitching and slowly pushed it down, confused Aiko glanced over at him but only meet his face which was obviously close. Okita pushed himself forward and touched her lips, moving his lips across hers. Aiko lips were on fire from there and on, then completing the kiss she also leaned forward and pushed up against him. Instantly she dropped her sewing and moved her hands up to his face. The next second Aiko's insides melted when she felt him pull her closer.  
  
Suddenly Okita broke away from the kiss and his head lowered into her shoulder. She could feel his body shake in her arms and his breathing he tried to steady. Aiko forced herself slowly down onto the floor with him on her. There they laid there for the remainder of the night; he moved himself off her and cuddled at her side.

* * *

_October 18 1879_

* * *

The forest long ago held many ninja's such as herself but it seems as if those ninja's have put down their ways and went on with their peaceful lives. That's understandable, with such a peaceful era, who could do such a thing as hurt people once again. Leaping into the air she gaped at the area to the front of her, trees beyond trees like a wall to an eternal palace. This was certainly where she belonged, living in the leaves out of site seemed much to her fancy now. As she began to land onto the mud ground she felt herself slip on something and she fell once more to a place wanted her, her grave. Takara felt so sick, but yet it was kind of the same feeling that she had over the few months without her clan around her.  
  
"Excuse me, are you okay?"  
  
'Eh?'  
  
Takara glanced up to a wide-eyed boy to her side, and she returned his wide eyes. Quickly getting her resolve she sprung to her feet and glared at the boy with some strange looking clothing.  
  
The girl had just flew right out from the sky and fell, he couldn't resist the question of asking how she was. But for some odd reason he thought he might want to take that back.  
  
"Why you askin?"  
  
Takara flinched before realizing she hadn't gotten used to people asking her things. She was still stuck in the time of her being a leader. The boy smiled and closed his eyes, "Well, there's really no reason."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
Taking off into a full out sprint for another way out of her situation she leaped for the closest branch to her.  
  
The boy laughed, for a girl she ran pretty fast, but he really wondered if she was as well a good fighter along with that. Probably not, since girls are to light they can not attack properly. Then again, she jumped very high without forcing herself. He smiled deeper and continued to walk further.

* * *

Takara couldn't believe that guy; his smile was so . . . so disturbing. If she didn't get away from him quickly then she would've been scared to death. She had given up on jumping through the trees and now went for the lower route to the one place of safety that she knew her camp. Though it was completely demolished and burned down she still had one building left there. But the place had this creepy feeling to it, as if the souls of the men that died didn't really leave. Stopping she shook her head fiercely, "Shut UP TAKARA!" She yelled at herself, "Thinking like this will only bring more misery onto you!"  
  
"Hey boss, ya' think the guy still lives here?"  
  
"I thought I saw him just a few days ago in this area."  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she backed up into the trees, shadowing herself from their wandering eyes. There were six of them this time, each one a swordsman, one carrying both a sword and bow. Others were just standing there poking at all the burnt wood except for one person who sat on top of a horse. She knelt down onto her right knee and went for her dagger in the secret case behind her hip. Then she leaped upward into the branches to make sure they wouldn't see her and grabbed the blade by it's tip.  
  
She aimed it for the one riding on the horse, leveling it with his head and gracefully pulled it behind her head.  
  
'Leave or die.' She thought.  
  
But the little noise that was set off by her movement at the men scared the archer as he steadied an arrow. Then it was to late, a flopping sound hit the man's ears and he turned around to see no one on the horse any longer. The five swordsmen walked up beside the man and looked at him closely, there in his head was a little knife that hit dead on in the center of his forehead.  
  
"I suggest you leave before you all end up like him!"  
  
The archer turned around and noticed the first attack of their Okashira, but wasn't able to act ready his arrow. Before he could even draw one he saw a young girl flying toward him with a punch ready. Connecting the man flew at least five feet away from her; bringing up one hand by her hip and one further out from her body in the center of her chest.  
  
"Why YOU!"  
  
"WE'LL GET YOU!"  
  
Two more men came at her, waiting for the proper distance until it was reached she jumped forward right above their head and brought both legs to the back of their heads. Falling on her hands she heard another sword get drawn at that moment she rolled to her right and stood up, dodging the sword that was being thrown at her by ducking she came back up with her raised and broke that man's nose.  
  
"I haven't had this much exercise for quite some time now. Common, is that all you got?"  
  
Now five swordsmen stood swords drawn and each one at a different position. Giving a toothy grin to the group they launched for her with swords raised and ready to attack. Kicking herself up at least a foot of the ground her left foot went for one's jaw and feel it bust under her force. Turning herself around she used both hands on two men and hit them in the chest pushing the air out of their lungs. Ducking once more to an attacking man, when his stomach was over her, her back went up and her hands grabbed the man's legs and launched his head into the ground.  
  
When she looked up though, her blood went dry and every thing in her body stopped. There in the forest was a small boy, covered in blood and sliced in his stomach.  
  
(I'm glad you came back leader.)  
  
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain hit the back of her head and her body went limp. Falling to the mushy ground, drowsiness washed over her like water. Blackness overcoming her mind, the next sight the got from the last light was a boy covered in blood, light and dark blue clothing with a sword in his hand and nothing but a slight grin on his face.

* * *

Soujiro smiled at her, she was so close on being killed, or even worse raped by those men. Their vital fluid of life dripped of his old and used blade that still shined like the sun.  
  
"I'm not going to get away from Tokyo ever am I?"

* * *

**NEXT CHAPTER!**

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"Evil laughs" MWAHAHAHA! EHEHEHE AHH No! Wait nevermind. Yep that's all!

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**Reviews**

* * *

**MysticInca**: "_Laughs_" WOW everybody SHE REVIEWED! Yeah the part with Saitou was a little funny blip I had to add. Now Okita in this chapter, I'm really not looking forward to the end of the story!  
  
**Incadove**: Well, you knew he was going to die soon SINCE I told you about it. Hey it was . . . 10 pages so what! That chapter was just a fun chapter, but oh well this chapter makes up for it. Since well, it's 15 pages long! That's on MS word so don't yell at me cuz you think I'm wrong. Oh if you thought last chapter was good, then this chapter just got better. BWAH HAHA!  
  
**JadeGoddess**: "_Sighs_" Sad to say this but one of my reviewers is giving me a headache. "_Looks over at JadeGoddess_" Oh well let's see if I can put this through correctly: "_AH HUM_!" Like up above in my Author's note before the chapter begun that's the reason why Aiko didn't seek Takara out. Takara on the other hand thought that her family had either disappeared or they died. Giving up all hope for her japanese family she decided to make a home with the man that basically saved her life, the former Okashira Phoenix. Confusing ne? BUT PWEASE Don't ask another question.... Instead just give me an online PEPSI! Or a box, or maybe a thousand.... Forget it I'll just raid the factory!

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Ione: "Falls to the floor in weariness"  
  
Muse: And this is what happens when you work on a story or chapter ALL DAY LONG!

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Fanfic by ione 


	17. Chapter 16: A New Companion

AN: Yep here I was bored stiff and now look what I have done, ANOTHER CHAPTER!  
  
Disclaimer: "Grabs Dr Pepper" Yeah yeah I know! I should have pepsi but I don't so OH WELL! N E who! Don't own RK.

* * *

**_Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 16: A New Companion  
  
_**

* * *

_October 19 1879  
_

* * *

Someone was humming . . .  
  
No, someone was singing . . .  
  
Hell, someone was doing something!  
  
Big brown eyes opened from her exhausting sleep only to see a wooden ceiling above her.  
  
Where was she?  
  
Sitting up to look around in the room she fell back down in the bed when a splitting headache came from the back of her head. Of course falling back onto the futon didn't help things either; her head just wanted to burst! Her hands went to her temples and she slightly pushed on them to relax. That didn't help either, gosh why did her head HURT so much! Then there was the awful music that was adding to things. Odd though, it felt like she was wearing a dress.  
  
"Ah you're awake."  
  
Takara's eyes narrowed, 'Maybe the reason I'm hurting is because of that high-pitched voice.'  
  
Her eyes darted to where the sound had came from and instantly went pale, looking down at what she was wearing she noticed she wasn't wearing her black outfit but now wearing a sleeping yukata. Becoming speechless Takara froze; he was looking straight at her now with a curious expression.  
  
Glaring Takara said, "**WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!?!**"  
  
Taking back from the question he answered, "Um . . . I saved you."  
  
The girl's eyes narrowed even more to little slits, "How strange I thought I was wearing my shinobi clothing."  
  
Letting out a childish laugh, his eyebrows went upward and he closed his eyes into slight curves, "_Oh yeah_ that's right."  
  
'Is that all he's going to say?'  
  
Pushing onto her elbows to sit slightly up, Takara cringed slightly at the pain. Boy did it hurt, what the heck happened that would make her head hurt this much.  
  
A flashback to the time where she was standing at the campsite with swordsmen around her, and the sight of a young child with blood faraway in the woods.  
  
'That's right, I saw Mareo.'  
  
"You know you shouldn't sit up, your headache will get worse."  
  
"I don't care, it's just a headache."  
  
Wow, this girl was surprising him every second, first she falls out of trees and hurts herself then she takes off to go battle some swordsmen, now she's saying that a mere splitting headache don't hurt her at all. Continuing to stare at her, he decided that since he had just saved her it would be a kind thing as to leave his name with her and depart once more.  
  
"I'm Seta Soujiro."  
  
Looking at him through the corner of her eye, she replied stiffly, "So?"  
  
Soujiro's head fell forward; she obviously didn't like courtesy.  
  
"You're supposed to tell me your name you know."  
  
Her eyebrow raised and she let a smirk pass her by, "You wanna know my name?"  
  
'Duh! It would be nice to tell me who you are!'  
  
Nodding with his head down still Takara took a deep breath it'd be fun if she took a name that obviously didn't suit her. "The names Okashira Phoenix."  
  
'Damn, why did she always refer to herself as that now?'  
  
Looking skeptical at the girl with a crooked grin he said, "Yeah sure."  
  
Takara fell back onto the futon; he must've been the only person that didn't believe her. Now THAT was annoying.  
  
"HEY! I'm not LYING!"  
  
Soujiro put his hand on his knee and his other went to grab an object covered in fabric. Takara watched as he did so and smiled, "I thought swords were illegal to carry around."  
  
He looked back at her with a charming smile, "Oh they are, that's why I'm only carrying this case you see. The sword just happens to be inside."  
  
He turned away to the door and began to open it.  
  
He was just sarcastic to her!  
  
He was polite to her!  
  
. . . And, and HE UNDRESSED HER!  
  
"HEY!" now grabbing the blanket and pulling it over her chest, "How dare you even leave when I have no idea where I'm at, also where my clothes are at! I'm not saying that you should stay but the least you could do is tell me WHERE MY WEAPONS ARE!"  
  
Looking back at her with closed eyes, "It's simple where your stuff is, it's just in the closet."  
  
For the first time in a long time Takara went blank, she watched him open the shoji and step out of her room without another word. Yet, for some odd reason she just wanted to yell at him even more.

* * *

Walking down the stairs to reach the bottom floor where most of the people were, Soujiro sighed as he felt oddly relaxed to be away from that ninja. 'I guess I pulled a stupid stunt back there by putting her weapons far away from her.' Then his cheeks went blue, 'but then again if I hadn't I might've been killed.'  
  
Walking to the door he stopped and loosened his muscles, since he really wanted to leave Tokyo for another town he might just take the upper hand and pull a sly trick. Stepping up to the manager he said, "Excuse me miss?"  
  
The woman that looked like she was in her late forties, looked up at him with tired irritated eyes.  
  
"What?" came her cranky voice.  
  
"That girl I brought in has decided she's going to pay for the bill."  
  
She moved back to her papers and nodded waving young Soujiro off. Now he could get away from this place without any disturbances. Reaching deep into his pocket he pulled out a little black bag, he hated to be the thief but he desperately needed it.

* * *

Takara looked down at her muddy clothes and frowned, they needed to be cleaned but as of this moment she REALLY didn't care. She already felt so dirty being in that sleeping yukata. Her bare skin shining in the sunlight as she stared outside from the second floor window at a good distance. Pulling the black shirt over head she let it hang there for quite some time, reaching down to at least her knees, she bent down and grabbed her pants and put those on over the shirt. Then reaching down for the last article of clothing, she wrapped the long piece of black fabric around her waist. Now all she needed to do is put on all her weapons and safely tuck her . . . wait, where was it? Suddenly fangs grew in her mouth as her eyes went blood red.  
  
"**SETA YOU LITTLE THIEF**!!"  
  
He had first been sarcastic to her!  
  
He was polite to her!  
  
HE UNDRESSED HER!  
  
THEN HE STOLE FROM HER!!  
  
Well, that little boy wasn't getting away oh no! Running to the window she slammed it all the way open, grabbed onto the top frame and swung herself to the roof of the building from there she stormed her way around the town.

* * *

_In Yokohama_

* * *

Smiling to herself, she stretched her arms to the sky and yawned.  
  
"Boy, that sure was a long trip."  
  
Teardrops formed in her eyes, "But to think I still have a long ways to go."  
  
She wore her hair up in a white and red cap, some of it straying in the front. Tight red shorts and a long white with red flowers tunic, it was her favorite so she just had to wear it. But she just couldn't wait till she got to Tokyo, to see all those Japanese people running about in a carefree place. She was really happy though, she didn't have to deal with the now occurring wars in China. Stepping into the crowd she went for the closest thing that would wake her up, the candy store.

* * *

_Back in Tokyo_

* * *

Takara leaped into the air over all the people, the chill hitting her face like needles but she had finally caught up with him. Silently moving through the forest in the bitter cold made her especially angry. 'Little thief, I'll teach you a thing or two.'  
  
Leaping once more into the air this time passing the boy whom walked rather slowly, she moved herself in the air and did a back flip pulling out a dagger in the process. When she landed, Soujiro quickly stopped, not because of the fact someone was blocking his way but because there was a sharp object most certainly close to his face. Tilting his head back slightly he looked at the girl puzzled. She panted for air, warm air, not this cold air that could freeze anyone's lungs. Her nose had already began to turn a pale pink and her cheeks as well doing the same thing. He couldn't help but to think how pretty she looked with that color on her face.  
  
Wanting to start up the conversation first he questioned, "What is it?"  
  
Panting and exhausted from her sprint all the way there she replied, "GIVE it BACK to me!"  
  
Soujiro smiled slightly, "What is it that I have? After all I wouldn't want one of your awkward daggers."  
  
"GIVE ME MY MONEY!"  
  
Chuckling he slammed the bottom part of his fist into his hand, "Oh yeah that's right, I have your money."  
  
Walking up without even faltering her other hand she grabbed the black bag from his hand. Her glare intensified and he just smiled more.  
  
"What's with all that smiling?"  
  
"Just a natural reaction."  
  
Takara's hand went for the other dagger but right as she began to pull it out, the boy's hand was already controlling her arm from doing so. Gosh he was strong, able to keep her from pulling out even a blade, but he moved so quickly, how the heck did he become able to grab her hand without hitting her other hand.  
  
Another chuckle came from him, "I do believe it's rude to pull out a weapon in front of somebody you don't know."  
  
Pushing some air through her teeth she glared at the back of his head. This time would be the last time . . . wait a second, why wasn't he moving away from her; maybe it was because she still had been trying to pull out the dagger.  
  
'WAIT A MINUTE, I have another dagger why don't I use it!'  
  
Takara quickly moved her other blade to the back to Soujiro's neck she had him now.  
  
"Move even a inch and I swear I'll kill you."  
  
Another chuckle occurred from the man that so desperately held onto the blade.  
  
"You really don't like making friends do you?"  
  
("_I like you kid, I think I may add you to my group_.")  
  
That was it, she let go of both the blades and shoved her hands onto his chest making him stumble backwards. Suddenly, she felt oddly cold.  
  
Soujiro was amazed, she had succeeded in pushing him away, and she was good he had to admit. Then his eyes widened, she was panting for air and a red flush had covered her face, the girl wasn't used to fight in the cold.  
  
She felt like she was going to faint, another faint spell was quickly coming at her with all it's force. Her eyes slowly becoming heavy as the ground seemed to welcome her. And as she began to fall she realized that she didn't fall completely, someone's hands were holding her up. Before she was able to react to the next movement, Takara's eyes closed and drowsiness swallowed her up whole.  
  
Struggling to keep her in his arms Soujiro knelt down onto the solid and hard ground. Resting her back on his left arm and the other reached for her face, the mere touch of it brought shivers up his spine. Not only was she cold but the texture of her skin was so soft, wait why was he thinking about that here and now. Reaching into the bag that he was carrying, Soujiro pulled out a scarf and wrapped it around her neck, or at least tried to.  
  
Grabbing his bag he rested it on her as he once again carried her back to the hotel that she was staying at.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
"Somebody! Anybody! Help ME!"  
  
"Come back here you!"  
  
The little boy ran without looking back at his angry relatives. Fear over sweeping him, trying to gain control as much as he could. His cheek's pain had disappeared the moment he knew what was going on, all that registered in his head was to run. Running around to the backside of the rice shed he tripped and could still hear the fast stomping approaching him. Unable to break the oncoming scream of tears he grabbed the wood underneath the shed and pulled himself under quickly. Without delay he crawled to the nearest object, the wakizashi that was given to him. Grabbing it he held it in his arms as tight as he could and cried, "Mr. Shishio please help me!"  
  
"Ah there you are! I never thought you would crawl under here."  
  
His eyes went wide as he turned to face the sly elder stepbrother, pointing his wakizashi toward him. His breathing became uncontrollable as it came out in erratic steps.  
  
"Hey that's an expensive wakizashi, were'd you get it?"  
  
The brother's hand went for the sheath as he pulled it back to reveal the shining blade.  
  
"Let's have a look at it."  
  
Then the boy's mind went blank and the only one phrase appeared in his mind's eye, 'Only the strong survive in this world! If you're strong you live if you're weak you die!'  
  
(End)  
  
Soujiro sprung from the floor into a sitting position, taking in deep pants, he rubbed his sleeve over his forehead and stared in front of him. He was dreaming about such a horrible event that in his past life, surely no one knew how he felt about it. Even people who had killed so many couldn't know how it felt to kill family. Soujiro looked to his side to see a sleeping girl who breathed evenly, rising and falling of her chest told him that she was all right. He smiled to himself, if he left she'd probably come rushing at him again with anger. Leaning up against the wall Soujiro closed his eyes once more.

* * *

Takara opened her eyes momentarily to a dark room around her, the feeling a drowsiness ebbing away from her body. Blinking a few times to get a blur out of her eyes, she took a deep breath and pushed herself upward into a sitting position. When she looked down at her hand on the blanket, her eyes went into thin slits as she noticed she was once again wearing a sleeping yukata. Her head snapped to the right side of her head then to the left side and the outline of a boy sleeping against the wall came into view.  
  
He changed her out of her clothes YET AGAIN!  
  
This guy just wouldn't stop changing her from comfortable clothing to the clothing that made her feel naked.  
  
"So now you wake up?"  
  
Takara passed a glare to the boy who looked up at her through his eyebrows. Slowly her glare eased and a normal look over took her face, but not removing the look of careful watching.  
  
"Why do you keep on helping me?" Her low and dark voice drove Soujiro to lift his head more.  
  
"Don't know exactly, but is helping a person really that bad?"  
  
She passed a glare through her thick eyelashes; "I'm not JUST a person."  
  
Soujiro smiled with his eyes closed humorously, "Oh sorry, my mistake a bird then!"  
  
Takara's mouth dropped and her glare became more intensive; "I'm not a bird either!"  
  
This was quite humorous to Soujiro, of course she was getting angry but there was another comment that was going to blow her away.  
  
"But isn't a Phoenix a bird of the fires of life?"  
  
Takara choked and she really wasn't able to come up with anything to say back to the moron by her. She could tell just by looking at him that he had thought he had won the battle of wits. Oh no, she wasn't going to let him think he won just yet.  
  
"Not in China, it's not a bird in China?"  
  
Soujiro's face turned from a victorious smile to a curious expression, "Is that so, what is it then?"  
  
... Um did she have to answer that question? Takara quickly looked away, the way that the Chinese phoenix was kind of weird so she decided to blandly put it as:  
  
"It looks like many animals."  
  
'Many animals?'  
  
Soujiro leaned in closer his head slightly tilted, "What do you mean by many?"  
  
"Well the phoenix has a large bill, the neck of a snake, the back of a tortoise, and tail of a fish."  
  
For some odd reason he just wanted to laugh, "I'm sorry."  
  
Beginning to chuckle to himself he immediately caught the attention of Takara, who in turn glowered at him. One side of her frown twitched, he'd regret laughing at her later.

* * *

_October 22 1879_

* * *

A fresh aroma filled the home from room to room; Okita took a big breath, taking in the smells around him. Only one of the smells though he recognized and he could feel his face go blue.  
  
She was again making miso soup.  
  
His head dropped in despair, he knew he was sick, but with all this miso soup could there be a time when he would become SICK of its flavor? Dully, Okita put his hand on the windowsill and pulled himself into a standing position and he walked over to shoji and opened it slightly. Taking a step out into the main room he sighed and turned to his left where Aiko was humming slightly to herself. She seemed so calm, picking up spices and other things, mixing them into a bowl like an expert.  
  
SPLASH!  
  
ITAII!!  
  
Well, almost like an expert that is . . .  
  
She held her hand tight in her other, holding close to her chest as she squinted to see her red hand. The pain seizing her fingers from the burn of hot water. Aiko's eyes slammed shut as she tried her best to steady her breathing.  
  
Okita reached around her small frame just like always and rested his hands on hers. The woman had jumped by the sudden touch of cold hands, she hadn't even noticed that he was behind her. He grinned and pulled her hand away from her other to only hold onto the hand that caused her pain.  
  
"Souji, aren't you supposed to be in the bedroom asleep like the doctor ordered?"  
  
Okita's eyes went into thin slits as his grin went wide, "Ah but Aiko I just wanted to come out and play!"  
  
Aiko giggled as she listened to his childish voice, her voice going quickly into a motherly tone.  
  
"Ah but you need your rest so that you can go play with the children."  
  
Okita's head tilted forward as his cheek now rested on her temple, his voice going into a tone lower then normal.  
  
"You're wrong I wanted to play with you."  
  
Pushing away from the front of the man behind her, she turned around to look upon his grinning face. Aiko had never really realized how tall he was compared to her, it seemed everytime she came to look at him she had to look a tab bit upward to see him. Aiko's eyes widened when his hand came up to her cheek and his thumb began to caress it, her hand going up to his and holding in hers.  
  
"Souji, I really need to finish dinner."  
  
'What the hell are you doing! You're nearly dead, your disease become worse then a few months ago. Aiko is a healthy woman, and you're a sick man, get a hold of yourself!'  
  
Okita pulled himself away from her, closing his eyes and turning back to his cold room.  
  
"Hai, hai! Wouldn't want you to burn yourself again now would we?"  
  
"Souji."  
  
His soft footsteps stopped at the call of his name, it wasn't unusual for her to call his name but still something in her voice seemed so low- spirited. Diverting himself away from the doorway he looked back at her with a smile, but something at that moment occurred between them. Ordinarily Aiko would smile back maybe not a happy and reassuring smile but she smiled nonetheless. This time she didn't though, she just stood there biting her lower lip, probably holding something in.  
  
There they stood for a while until Aiko broke away from his gaze and went back to her cooking. And Okita as well went back to what he was doing, staring up at the cold and gray sky.

* * *

"Will you ever leave me alone?"  
  
Takara smirked as she walked beside him with her hands behind her head. Soujiro liked the company and all but being with a girl who always nagged at him kind of reminded him of Yumi.  
  
"Nope."  
  
Soujiro felt like he was just hit the stomach, exhaling a exhausted sigh he continued to walk down the road surrounded by trees.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Takara stopped in her steps, why was she following him? She just ended following him out of town and into the woods and she realized that she hadn't broke from the road. Smiling she threw her arms down to her sides and ran to catch up to him. Passing him just a couple of steps she turned around to face him with a smile.  
  
"Because you're rather interesting."  
  
Raising an eyebrow to her he just smiled and passed her, continuing to walk up the slope that was coming.  
  
He just brushed her by . . . like she was a TWIG!  
  
"HEY!"  
  
Sighing, the young man stopped in his steps and turned his head to look at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
Putting her hands on her hips she exclaimed, "I'm not just an ordinary person, NO, Lemme rephrase that, I'm not an annoying bug that won't go away!"  
  
Both eyebrows raised now, Soujiro looked questioningly at her, "Even though you certainly do act like that."  
  
Takara glared at the boy in front of her, "What do you mean by that! I'm no BUG! Bugs are little crunchy things that any human can smash! And YOU can't smash me like a bug! You're too soft to even hurt a fly, that sword was probably a gift from your father I bet. It's probably in no condition to even fight with!"  
  
'Well, for once she was right.' Soujiro thought.  
  
Grinning slightly he replied, "Don't judge people by what they act like miss . . . uh?"  
  
Putting his index finger to his chin he said aloud, "When I think about it you never gave me a name."  
  
Takara looked over to weird boy and laughed, "Ha! For you I'll only give you the name Okashira Phoenix."  
  
Instantly a sweat drop went down the back of his head as he stared at the laughing girl.  
  
"Fine then, if that's the case don't call me Soujiro."  
  
Starting back into a slow walk up the hill, the laughter died immediately after his comment. Eyebrows furrowed eyes wide with little pupils and all that she could muster up after his last sentence was a simple, "huh?"  
  
Her hand went into a tight fist as she pulled it up to the front of her chest.  
  
"What was that all about?!"  
  
No answer . . .  
  
"Mmmm **HEY**!"  
  
Stomping up the hill to where he was, Takara was almost ready to pounce on the guy.  
  
"Hay's for horses, but I'd expect a _bird_ not to know that."  
  
She froze in all her anger, like a demon made sure she wasn't even able to move in her fury. Her arms went stiffly to her sides, 'Why that little . . .'  
  
Running up to him she grabbed onto his gi and pulled him back till he fell to the ground. Wincing from the fall he looked up at a face that seemed to be telling him "_Say-another-word-and-you're-dead!_"  
  
So instead of saying another word he just laid there.  
  
"That felt so- good."  
  
Standing back and stretching with her arms raised, she yawned. Guess she used too much energy this time, a smile extended from cheek to cheek at her loss of energy. Soujiro loosened his muscles and used his right hand to push himself off the frozen cold earth. Getting into a standing position he straightened his hakama's and looked back at the smirking girl behind him.  
  
"So then, what can I call you then?"  
  
"Anything you want." With that said he turned back around to once again walk up the hill that he had yet to venture.  
  
"HE . . . YO!"  
  
Soujiro choked immediately after she changed what she was about to say, laughter already working up in his stomach. He stopped and waited for the girl to walk a couple of steps to get to where he was. When she halted right by him she stared at him and grimaced, "The names Isami Takara."  
  
'Isami?'  
  
Soujiro tilted his head and continued to stare at her.  
  
"I really don't care what you call me as long as it don't refer to the Okashira Phoenix."  
  
He smiled at her and replied, "Fine then, I'll call you bird."  
  
**ANIME DROP**  
  
Snapping back up to her feet she yelled at the quickly retreating Soujiro, "**_WHY YOU_**!"

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**Next Chapter  
**

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... EH heh heh

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**Reviews**

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**JadeGoddess**: It's okay! "Pats JadeGoddess on the head and smiles" Anywho, sorry if I went out on ya! Actually, nothing more really happens between Takara and Aiko now, maybe something, I might just add something more. But who knows, I might only have my family reviewing my story if I'm not lucky . . .  
  
**Incadove**: Tell me to get a life, but if I did, then you wouldn't be there almost every night reading my story. Yeah I hope you enjoyed my chapter, I know I did so there HAH HAH! Right, I know Takara's character is awesome, that's why I made her! "Nagy falls on floor as ione's ego bursts" BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Cough, cough! Thanks anyways for the review!

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AN: You know, I like this story and all but hey I think I have at least five to six more chapters to go! "Falls to floor" Heaven help me!  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	18. Chapter 17: A Cold Night

AN: . . . I was going to originally call this chapter "Passions Proud Captive" but you know that didn't seem right SO I didn't. ANY WHO! AGAIN another great chapter made by me, this one has a lot of fluffs in it.. er if you can call them fluffs SURE why not! Okay okay fine! So their not fluffs but they're not lime's either so enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: ... don't own, there, LIKE THAT! I SAID IT! I don't own . . . Inu Yasha! Yeah, I don't own that series! "Gets hit on the head by inca mysticinca" Fine. I don't own RK, sniff sniff!  
  
...  
  
Where Are You Now?  
  
Chapter 17: A Cold Night  
  
November 2, 1879  
  
...  
  
The sun for the day was at least helping the cold, since she was wearing black then ultimately she was probably warmer then the normal traveler. Just like the boy called Seta Soujiro, she was allowing him to call her by her name but of course he wouldn't do that, he just had to call her bird. She had spent only a month with him and noticed that he really never talked, plus it did kind of feel that he was ignoring her.  
  
"Yo, why haven't you talked? Cat got your tongue or somethin?"  
  
Takara got no answer from the traveler; she also hadn't said anything from the time that they started to leave Tokyo. Looking to her left she saw a nearby village, not a very big place but still a location where they sold supplies.  
  
Thinking to herself, she was about to pass the road to the village when quite suddenly a ki was slowly disappearing. She turned around and saw that Soujiro had stopped.  
  
"We should go to the village to get some rest, maybe some food as well."  
  
Her eyes went narrow and she quickly turned herself back around, "We? Don't think that I am weak just as you are!"  
  
Sighing the man went down the muddy path toward the village with people moving about. Not to far away from the homes were some crops.  
  
Takara looked back at him and blew up at her bangs, why was it that everytime she talked to him it always came out wrong.  
  
Grumble, grumble . . .  
  
Slouching, she looked down the muddy road, which Soujiro was walking down, and she put a hand on her stomach. Actually she was kind of hungry, but why now, she could usually go without food for days on end but just not this time. Shaking her head she decided to run down the road toward the village, only stopped running when she came up to Soujiro. Looking to his side Soujiro smiled, "I thought you weren't weak just like me."  
  
For first time Takara held back a glare and just passed him a dirty look, "Well, I'm not, though I am kinda hungry."  
  
Soujiro chuckled and returned his eyes to the road, "Alright birdie, want some delicious earthworms, I hear that for you their a good meal."  
  
SMACK!  
  
Knocking him upside the head with her hand, she watched him stumble as he walked. When he regained his balance he looked back at her with a baffled expression.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
Fangs slowly growing in her mouth Takara glared, "I'll let you call me birdie but don't refer to me as being a REAL BIRD ALRIGHT!"  
  
Soujiro blinked and stood straight up, "Does that mean you don't want any earthworms?" He asked innocently.  
  
Veins popping from the back of her head, Takara shook her head and ran after him with claws raised. Soujiro's eyes went wide as he instantly turned back for the road to the village and ran away from Takara with a smile on, holding onto his precious sword and bag as he did so.  
  
...  
  
Back in Tokyo  
  
...  
  
For the first time in over a week, she could see the sky up above them, of course there were still a few clouds lingering above them. Slowly shutting the window of their room Aiko looked back at the still sleeping Okita with half-a-sleep eyes. Nothing was getting better about his condition; as a matter of fact it was all just getting worse. Glancing back at the closed window she left her spot for a new one in the living room. Sitting down by the lamp she picked up her sewing utensils and continued to sew.  
  
Of course her easy time was cut short suddenly when a few knocks came from the door. Sighing she stood up once more and walked to the front door and opened it. Outside were two familiar faces, a short man with orange hair and a tall man with brown hair. Yes, how could she not remember these two faces?  
  
"Yo, how's it hangin Aiko?" said the taller of the two, who raised his hand in his comment.  
  
Nudging the guy in the stomach with his elbow she shorter one looked up at her, "Would it be alright if we saw Okita?"  
  
Blinking, she soon smiled at them, "I'm sorry, Souji isn't feeling well today."  
  
Nagakura stepped up onto the lower step and looked inside, "Just like every other time we come to see him. Come on Aiko, we need to talk to him."  
  
"Yeah, and wouldn't you happen to have some food with ya?"  
  
Aiko smiled even more and moved out from the doorway to let them in. As they stepped inside Harada got a glance of the kitchen and had to be literally pulled from his spot to the bedroom door. Aiko opened it for them as well and waited for the two to walk in the room. As soon as they did, she closed the door behind them and went to the farthest corner she could possibly get to. Getting as faraway from hearing distance as she possibly could.  
  
...  
  
Nagakura smiled as he looked at the shoji back to the man laying on the futon, his long black hair looking as dull as the winter sky. Harada had sat down by him and was staring at the man asleep; his hands close to his face. Sitting down as well, Nagakura put his hand on Okita's shoulder and shook, not forcefully but definitely not gently.  
  
Okita's eyes slowly opened to thin slits on his face, "Nani?"  
  
Sitting back on his feet Nagakura smiled, "So you won't greet old time friends will ya."  
  
Okita's eyes widened and he casually pushed himself off the futon with his hand and arm. Now seeing the two grinning at him, he fully pushed himself off the futon and turned around into an upright position. Taking in deep breaths as he did so, he continued to fight back a cough.  
  
"So, Aiko wasn't lying." Nagakura's grin faded quickly as he saw pain rush over the man's face, "Not only do you not feel good, you certainly don't look good."  
  
"Oi, Okita, we need to say something to ya."  
  
Exhaling, he covered his mouth just in case that a cough wanted to appear, "No one's stopping you."  
  
Harada's grin widened as he sat back in a more comfortable position, and replaced his normal grin with a crooked one.  
  
"That's so like ya Okita, ah well let's get to the point shall we."  
  
Looking over to his companion Nagakura nodded and returned his gaze to the one in bed.  
  
"You've heard about Saitou-san right?"  
  
Okita nodded as his muscles went tense.  
  
"Well, we heard that the reason he went up there was just some simple police business but I believe it's much more then that. If it were just simple police business then they wouldn't have sent him up there plus going up there in that kind of weather isn't the greatest thing to do. After all, up there in Hokkaido they have winters that can kill."  
  
"Get to the point Nagakura-san."  
  
Nagakura paused by the brief interruption from the man and sighed pulling out a piece of paper.  
  
"I did a search on what was really happening but all that came up was a bunch of normal things. So the Meiji government is trying to cover up what's happening."  
  
"More then likely cause they don't want another war going on, those stupid pigs!" exclaimed the angry Harada as he slightly hit the floor with his fist.  
  
"Oi, oi Sano."  
  
A slight ruffle caught both the men's attention as the turned to Okita who had his face turned toward the blanket.  
  
"Harada-san is right, it'd probably cost to much money for them to fight another war. Plus they don't want to harm innocent people so that's one good thing."  
  
Waving off the comment Nagakura smiled and stood up, "Sano and I are planning on making a trip to Hokkaido. We were wondering if you would go but not in the state you're in." Nagakura planted his hands on his hips, "You just stay here and let Aiko-san take care of you!"  
  
With that said both men got to the door and opened it only Harada looked back at Okita and spoke up, "If you die Souji, I'll chase you in the afterworld and make you WISH you never ate food again!"  
  
Okita smiled and nodded, "Hai, hai Harada-san!"  
  
Harada smiled and exited the room, closing the shoji behind him.  
  
...  
  
Somewhere?  
  
...  
  
Her hands were behind her head as she stared at the back of his head, short black hair slowly waving back and forth. Before they had left town Soujiro had asked her to walk behind him so that there wouldn't be any confusion. What did he mean by confusion? It's not like they were going to burn down any homes but nonetheless she did as she was told instead of screaming at him. Her vocal cords were already hurting from all the yelling for the past month.  
  
Even if she yelled at him for the pettiest of reasons, he always wore a smile and brushed it off like it was nothing. Even if she were belittling him in front of many people he would look at her as if she was the strangest person on earth. That only made her want to find more out about this Seta Soujiro.  
  
"Yo, can I ask you a question?"  
  
No answer came from the traveler as they continued to walk, "I was wondering, why don't you like to talk?"  
  
"There's just nothing to talk about?"  
  
HAH! She actually got him to say something; it was a victory in itself. Takara's frown grew quickly into a smile as she ran up to walk beside him. He glanced to his side only for a moment to see what she was going to do.  
  
"Sure there is, I know of plenty of things to talk about!"  
  
Soujiro smiled and glanced again at Takara, "Oh, is that so?"  
  
Her smile grew bigger as well did her eyes as put her hands behind her back and her chin up high. Soujiro stared at her as if she were an imbecile, "What are you doing?"  
  
Takara laughed as she went back to her casual stance, "Over in China, that's how men walk, they say it's made for noble men!"  
  
How interesting . . .  
  
"Didn't their neck hurt after doing that so much, it looks like they were just trying to make their necks look bigger."  
  
With that said Takara laughed again, this time making her hold her stomach. Looking to the west he noticed that they needed to find a place to stay for the sun was quickly approaching the mountains. Cold air would find them and he doesn't want to carry her again to the nearest town in this bitter cold. Slowing to a stop Soujiro turned around and noticed that Takara had stopped abruptly and began to watch the sunset come to a near.  
  
For the first time he couldn't turn his head away from her, the way she stood in the last remaining remnants of sunlight seemed almost mystical to him. Slightly shaking his head and breathing in Soujiro was the first to break the silence.  
  
"We'd better go. Once the sun goes down it'll get cold."  
  
Blinking many times before looking at him with solemn brown eyes then taking one more glance before moving forward. Her hands went behind her head and she closed her eyes, "Well duh! You think I didn't know that, after all haven't I been with you for a month now. I think I would've learned immediately that it was going to get cold."  
  
Soujiro's face went blank, 'Finally back to the grumpy you eh?'  
  
They both walked together until light was no longer and the freezing cold came upon them. The sky filled with little stars twinkling above them. Takara wrapped her arms around her body to get the warmth in her from escaping.  
  
'Lucky Seta, he has a jacket he can wear in this weather.' Thought Takara as she could feel her body begin to shake. She pushed her arms harder into her body for more warmth yet none was actually coming. Wishing she were back at the camp so that she could grab more clothes to wear.  
  
"Gosh, it's so- cold."  
  
Soujiro stopped and turned to look at her, almost invisible to his sight since all she was wearing was black. Takara stopped when she noticed he had and saw him barely walking toward her. Instantly she went stiff, her body actually no longer under her control and the unforeseen touch brought Takara fear for some odd reason. She looked at her shoulder and saw that he had wrapped his arm around her, the warmth of his body being drained by hers. Her wide eyes went up to his face to see a soft smile touching his lips.  
  
"Feel a little better."  
  
The impulse to push him away from her was quickly growing as she stared up at him. But she was beginning to feel warm, and not only that something between them was slowly disappearing with her in his one arm.  
  
"Uh . . . uh huh."  
  
She had never noticed the deep blue eyes the guy had, wide and happy constantly like a little child. Something then attacked her body; a feeling of faintness was driving her to the cold ground, her knees becoming weak under her body's weight.  
  
Soujiro's eyes widened even more as he quickly broke his gaze from hers and released her from the warmness of his side. And the minute he removed himself from her clinging body Takara right away woke up, the powerful cold attacking her flesh.  
  
"EEP!"  
  
Her arms once again wrapping themselves around her upper body, and shivers went up her spine every second. Opening her eyes slowly, she let out a small sigh. Then the sound of a twig cracking caught her attention as she turned her eyes up to a hand that was reaching out for her.  
  
Beyond the hand was the face of the boy that was slightly smiling at her. Still leaving one arm wrapped around her the other reached for his hand and he pulled her up slowly.  
  
"I saw on the cliff a hotel, I believe they'll let us in if you pretend that you're in bad condition."  
  
Right now Takara didn't make a comment; she'd rather be somewhere warm where she could sleep comfortably. Nodding Soujiro turned around and began to walk down the road once more, Takara following him only by a few steps.  
  
...  
  
Tokyo!  
  
...  
  
"The day surely went by quickly."  
  
His hand fell from the frame of the window as he stared up at the blanket of stars. It surely was a beautiful night, the clouds just lingering off in the distance where the sun had set.  
  
"It sure did, I wonder how Nagakura-san and Harada-san are doing right now."  
  
Okita smiled and turned back to greet a moving about Aiko, "Knowing them, their probably eating right now."  
  
Aiko looked up at him, a smile drifted over her lips as she rolled the futon back into place. For nights now Aiko had left him alone to sleep, maybe sometimes she would wander into the room and stare at him. But he truly didn't know what she did over the night, the last time he saw her was with her sewing something together. Straightening up she proceeded back to the door, her hand gracefully making its way to open it until words were spoken.  
  
"Stay with me tonight."  
  
Almost as if the door stung her hand, she took a step away and looked at him by the window. A solemn smile touched her lips as she nodded; her expression made him choke, the fact that she couldn't keep eye contact with him any longer made him sad.  
  
'SEE! Look at that, she don't even love you! So turn away and tell her never mind before something bad happens.'  
  
But the moment his brain thought that he worked up one of the last smiles he had in him and gave it to her.  
  
"Aiko, you wouldn't mind would you?"  
  
Giving a short giggle she shook her head and looked back up at him again, this time a softer smile replacing the last. Now walking away from the door and made her way over to the window where the cold air stung her nose and eyes.  
  
Okita stared at her; the comment his brain made quickly was being pushed to the back of his head. His hand went up to her cheek and stayed there touching the soft flesh. Aiko's body went tense as he rubbed his hand against her face, her eyes slowly closing and her body relaxing itself as she welcomed his close touch. Smiling, her hand raised to his as she grabbed it and pulled it away from her face. She moved her body closer to his, her hands flattening themselves over his chest as she moved her head to the crook of his neck.  
  
"No, I don't mind."  
  
Her breathy words burned his neck; it had been a long time since they had been this close. Her body pushing up against his and his hands wandering over her body. This time though, he didn't have enough strength in him to do anything with her. His arms wrapped around her waist, bending his knee's he slowly brought her down with him to the floor. Aiko's eyes fluttered closed as she pushed against him to the floor. A wicked grin passed over Okita's face as he stared up at the form above him.  
  
"Well, I don't see you blushing so this must mean it's a good thing."  
  
Aiko laughed went down closer to his face and brushed her lips against his. A big smile replacing his grin as he rolled her onto the floor getting on top of her for the first time in months. The moment Okita felt her hands wandering under his gi a flare of passion passed through him. Her hands wandered up toward the top of his neck, running her fingers through his hair.  
  
Then the breaking moment occurred when the last of his strength was put into stifling his hoarse coughs. His head fell down onto her shoulder, his energy draining out of him as he lay on her. Trying his hardest to clear out his throat he lifted his head and rolled off her, his hand lying on his stomach as he continued to gain control.  
  
Aiko moved her hand away from her to brush it against his face, not even realizing the fact that she was putting him asleep by only making slight movements against his cheek. She smiled as she saw the look of comfort drift over his face as he fell asleep.  
  
Just like the old times, sleeping on the floor was their last option.  
  
Silently pushing herself off the floor she watched his face as she crawled around him to his right side to grab the blanket. Covering them both up with she could feel the warmth of their bodies combine in the night. Nudging her head against his shoulder she also fell asleep . . . with him.  
  
...  
  
Somewhere  
  
...  
  
Taking a deep breath she jumped up with joy, they finally made it to the hotel. Just, there was only one problem, they had no money to stay there. The thought made Takara slouch with tears in the corners of her eyes. Soujiro walked up behind her with his eyebrows raised, "Why are you crying, didn't you want to get here?"  
  
Stiffly she turned toward Soujiro, "I don't have any money."  
  
Soujiro began to laugh, "I thought so! What did you spend all your money on the food?"  
  
The girl nodded to him, he walked up beside her and grabbed hold of her wrist. Takara's eyes widened then slightly narrowed when she slowly looked up at him. Opening the door to the hotel they both walked into the warm building. And soon enough Takara could feel the drowsiness once again wash over her. Soujiro looked down at her, noticing her eyes were slowly closing even as she stood there.  
  
Then the suddenly sound of a shoji opening caught his attention as he turned his gaze to the a man walking out.  
  
"May I help you?"  
  
Leaving Takara's side he walked up to the man with his hand up on his head.  
  
"Yes, excuse me sir but we need a room. But we seem to have no money, my sister has caught a horrible cold on our journey so do you think we can stay just for one night please."  
  
The man studied Soujiro before obliging to the request and he nodded to him. Standing up he walked to the distant shoji and gestured them to follow. Instantly he looked back and grabbed Takara's wrist once more. Well, if she wasn't going to move he might as well make her right?  
  
Takara felt his hand grasp onto her wrist and pulling her to follow, only moments later did she realize that Soujiro was the one pulling her and her eyes went narrow. Looking around she could see lights slowly going off one by one. Men and woman soon were falling asleep in a place they thought they were safe in. Pulling her hand away from the walking Soujiro, he instantly looked back at her with wide eyes. Watching her walk pass him following the man to a long awaiting room.  
  
When the man stopped he opened the shoji he was standing in front of and stared at the two. His hand gesturing once more for them to walk forward into a cold room with only one futon. Takara walked right in and looked back, Soujiro smiled uneasily at the man and bowed a little before the man walked away.  
  
"You really need to learn how to give thanks."  
  
Takara didn't listen as she pulled out the futon and laid it out onto the floor, she sighed and looked at the boy sitting by the shoji.  
  
"Do you want the bed?"  
  
Soujiro laughed, "And share it with an animal, I'd rather take the chance of sleeping outside."  
  
Mustering up enough energy to Soujiro she glared as hard as she could, and again like usual he just stared at her with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"What it's true."  
  
SMACK!  
  
Takara covered herself with the blanket quickly and narrowed her eyes while trying to sleep.  
  
Soujiro meanwhile was trying to recover from unconsciousness.  
  
...  
  
Tokyo  
  
November 3, 1879  
  
...  
  
Aiko's eyes drifted open, the feeling of warmth casting over her body just wanted to make her fall asleep again. Nudging her head she noticed she was lying against something, something that was sharing the heat with her and it's body.  
  
That something was breathing . . .  
  
That something smelled like cherry blossoms . . .  
  
That something . . . had its hand in her kimono . . .  
  
Aiko pushed herself up from the futon on her elbow, and stared at the peaceful body lying by her. His hair as messy as any other day where his bangs strayed from their positions behind his ear and thin black pieces covering most of his eyelids. Grabbing his hand and setting it down by him carefully so that she didn't end up waking him up Aiko sat all the way up and stared at the wall.  
  
Well, she was staring at it until an arm reached around her and pulled her back down. Now, she seemed to be staring at the ceiling of their room.  
  
"Does Aiko not want to stay warm."  
  
Her head turned toward his as she met the eyes of Okita, his tired eyes watching her with beam delight. She rolled to her side so that her body seemed to connect with his and grinned.  
  
"Ah, but the coldness can wake you up much more quickly than staying under a warm blanket."  
  
His lips upturned as he moved his head closer to hers, "Oh but Aiko, which one would you prefer, going to do you knitting in cold air or staying under this warm blanket with me?"  
  
Aiko let out a small laugh and once again pushed up on her hands leaving Okita completely curious. His smile diminished seconds after she got out from under the thick fabric and he looked away from her retreating frame. Standing up she straightened her hair as much as possible and returned her eyes to Okita.  
  
"Souji, would you like to come with me to the market today?"  
  
Sighing he glanced back at her, "You go there almost everyday, what do you need now?"  
  
Shrugging her shoulders she began to walk toward the shoji, "Oh nothing I just thought that it would be nice to get out of the house once in a while."  
  
Catching Okita's attention Aiko smiled and went to open the shoji, "But since you were just complaining that I go there everyday then I guess I can the next time we need something."  
  
Flying into a sitting position Okita's eyes went wide when she began to open the shoji.  
  
"No!" Turning back to him with a smirk she stood there, "Can I please go with you?"  
  
This was a once in a lifetime chance to get out of the house and he wasn't going to miss it. But the moment Aiko began laughing he knew he just lost to one of her tricks to get him out of bed. Eyes slightly narrowing at the woman ahead of him, he sighed off to his side and stood slowly up from under the sheet.  
  
"Alright then, let's get ready."  
  
...  
  
Next Chapter  
  
...  
  
Yeah, just some more filler.  
  
...  
  
Reviews  
  
...  
  
Incadove: Lol, I'm glad someone likes this couple. Yep, people are absolutely lazy! You know I would've made this chapter longer but you know I don't know of anything else that's a filler. All I know is that someone should be making their way into the story fairly quickly now. I hope you know who I mean!  
  
JadeGoddess: LOL! Yeah they might meet again in the future. Heck, their sisters, their bound to run into each other sometime. No let me rephrase, Takara will end up crashing into her sister, and boy can I see that happening. I might just put that in there soon.  
  
...  
  
Ione: "cries" Nobody wants to play with me! Erm, I mean read my story, I had so mannnny reviewers at one time where'd they all GO! WhyYYYY!!! "Continues to chant in background"  
  
Nagy: Want some food, I sware it'll make you feel better!  
  
Ione: Why!!!!!!!! "Continues once more"  
  
Nagy: "sweatdrop"  
  
...  
  
Fanfic by ione 


	19. Chapter 18: Into The Soul

AN: Yeah, after reading PMK and the part with Yamanami dying was a tear jerker. Needless to say I have a new inspiration to start off this chapter. Now if you're a PMK fan lemme tell ya, I kinda stole this scene from the manga so do forgive me since it's not a RK thing.

Disclaimer: well, disclaimer.

...

Where Are You Now?

Chapter 18: Into the Soul

...

February 23, 1865

...

The day wasn't going as well as every one thought the fact that a dear friend had deserted the Shinsengumi was beyond belief. The winter's cold chilling his neck as he sat in his room, long black hair held up in a high ponytail. A haori for warmth was his only savor from the coldness of the air. Staring at the floor intensely Okita thought of the next course to take without something horrible happening. His hand reached for his sword as he carefully picked it up and pushed himself up onto his shaking feet. Tucking his sword into the side of the hakama's he opened his door and proceeded to the long awaiting room.

...

"Hey! Takara stop that! That's not yours!"

Kondo sighed as he glanced back at his elder daughter with tired eyes; it was the usual bickering of the child that usually reminded him of their late mother. Aiko grabbed hold of the string that her younger sister was currently trying to stretch out of a spark of curiosity. Pulling the white thread away from her sister Aiko did her best on putting it through the small sewing needle. Takara got her hands on it once more and with the needle, looked at it curiously. Aiko saw this and immediately seized the younger one's wrist on pulled it once away from her.

SMACK!

"Takara, when I say it ain't yours, it ain't yours alright!"

But in the process of telling the six year old 'no' Takara had broke into tears and was crying all that she could with her horrible screams. Kondo walked away from the shoji and grabbed hold of his daughter and sat her on his lap, Aiko watching him as he did so.

"Now, now Takara is still young, she does these things only because of how interested she is in the things you do."

Aiko's eyes wandered away at his comment as she poked the needle through a thin white fabric.

She hated being the oldest, always taking care of her younger sister and barely even able to be with anyone else besides her. Plus, her little sister was annoying, she wouldn't stop doing something after she clearly said no and if she did it was because she was about to burst into tears. Another reason, because everyone enjoys playing with Takara, what ever happened to playing hide and seek with Harada or Okita?

A few knocks came at the door until a very familiar face came into view, Kondo looked behind him to see the young man standing at his shoji with a grim looking expression. Setting Takara off his lap and back onto the floor he stood and walked over to where the man stood.

Closing the door behind him, only his shadow was now visible through the doorway. Aiko quickly stuffed all the sewing threads and equipment back into the box and walked silently over to the doorway. The closer she got she began to her the whispers of the men outside.

"Sis, what are ya doin?" Asked the child from the other side of the room. Aiko's finger rose to her lips and a forced "SHH!" was heard. Then she put her hand to her ear so she could her more closely to what they were saying.

"Aa, understood."

"Souji, are you sure about this?"

"Aa."

Seemed she had came in late due to the sound of footsteps walking away from the wall she was standing by. Aiko's hand pushed against the wall as she walked back from it noiselessly. Only one question was in her mind at that moment.

Where was Okita-san going?

...

He rode against the cold air, his bangs flying upward as the horse galloped down the road. His eyes searching, hoping to find someone that he desperately needed to see, to question. The mere fact that he had left had left a knot in the bottom of his stomach. He passed by millions of trees, no longer baring the leaves of summer and by only a couple of farmers. Okita glanced over his shoulder to look at the people slowly gathering along the river. Gripping the rope he pulled it back slightly to slow the animal down, now just hoofing his way down the road nearest to the river. Then a frame remained fixed onto his brain's eye as he saw the man he was seeking through the rest. Easily Okita found him and stopped right behind the man and leaped off his horse.

The soft sound of old grass crunching under his feet made the other man feeding his horse flinch before standing.

"How horrible, I can't even fight back now."

Okita's eyes narrowed as he sent a pained expression to the ground.

"To think they sent you after me."

"I came out here on my own Yamanami-san."

Again the man flinched and his eyes quickly rested on the pained Okita Souji before him. Standing there with hands in slight fists, his black hair not as clean as it usually was as it hid his eyes from him. Giving the younger man a stiff smile he just stared at the carefully controlled Okita. Taking a deep breath the younger man looked up to his Vice Chief, brown eyes clearly full of millions of emotions but none able to surface.

"Because I would always, no matter how far you would run, regardless of how many crowds you hide in I would definitely seek you out. Therefore, I was the one who came."

Yamanami stared at his friend before momentarily smiling and saying, "I see."

Then with a quick nod he grabbed his horse by the leash and began walking it away from the river. The smile on his face not disappearing as he carefully walked up toward Okita who had already covered his facial expressions once more.

"I am ready for my punishment."

The knot only seemed to grow larger as he turned around and lifted himself back onto the horse he had been only seconds ago riding. His hands once more gripping the rope connected to the animal's mouth.

"That's all right." Steadying the horse by petting its coarse brown hair he continued, "Let's just go home."

The stiff smile only turned full of grief as his hand grabbed Okita's, "Okita-kun, you and I both know what the result will be."

Suddenly the lingering knot that had been in his stomach went instantly into his throat and he revealing the tear filled eyes to his old friend. He hated this it just wasn't worth it, seppuku wasn't something for this matter, and it shouldn't be at all. The taste of his tears and the feeling of loss over swept him, and for the first time in so many years, Okita Souji once again cried.

"Why . . . Did you leave?"

Releasing his hand from the Okita's Yamanami's smile turned dark and his eyes went into small slits, "Why indeed."

...

Shirakawa 1850

...

"Nari-chan, where do I put these?" said the little boy with a rather large basket held in his arms full of vegetables. A young girl, probably no older then twelve took only a glance before laughing at her younger brother. She dropped the small instrument she had been using and stood up to her brother with her hands held out for the basket. The child blinked before handing over the basket to the girl with long black hair, her face speckled with small bits of dirt and water. She lifted the vegetables into her arms and began to walk away from the rows of green plants.

Looking back to the boy who had taken an interest in the nearest bug she spoke, "Soujiro, are you coming?"

Knocking himself out of his interest he stood and ran over to the girl, after a while deciding to run in front of her laughing.

"Na! Nari-chan, how fast can you run with those radishes in your hands."

Nariko smiled, "Not fast at all Soujiro."

Soujiro stopped and stared at her puzzled, his finger scratching his head in a thinking process.

"So, you're not going to try."

Nariko laughed, "Not at all."

"EH?! Well you're no fun!"

"Fun? Oh you want fun huh?"

Walking out onto the small porch a woman stared at her two children laughing innocently with each other. They surely don't miss a chance to wrestle now do they?

"No don't Nari-chan!"

"Get back here!"

Of course, in a mother's eyes, it was a re-ally good thing that they laughed instead of being extremely quiet.

"Oi, Nari-chan the vegetables, look what you did!"

"Opps, sorry."

"Sorry? I just picked those!"

Sighing, the mother sat down and brought up the piece of thread to her hair to tie it up. A ponytail seemed more then good to her right at the moment. Her black eyes stared out into nothingness, not paying all to much attention to the two kids arguing down at the crops.

"Nariko, Soujiro come on in now!"

The two children stopped after hearing the manly voice of their father who had just walked out onto the engawa with only a small bite to eat for himself. Releasing himself from his sister's hold Soujiro ran toward the small cramped home laughing.

"Oka-san, can Nari-chan and I go back out into the crops again after we eat. Ple-ase!"

She smiled and nodded, "You two most certainly can." Then laid her hand on top of his head and rubbed it gently. The little boy's smile grew tremendously before he took off his sandals and ran into the house. Slowly Nariko walked up, since in a kimono it was still rather hard for her to get up onto the engawa that stood at least one foot. So instead she sat down and slid herself backward then stood up and walked into the home. Both the father and mother didn't join this time, but smiles didn't dissipate while they were eating.

...

Tokyo, 1879 December

...

It was the second snow of the season, this time much more powdery and beautiful. Aiko couldn't help look up at the white sky to watch every piece fall gracefully to the ground. Small fragments speckled her black hair as she stood by the dead tree. Brown eyes observed as winter showed one of its proud creations. Wearing her green kimono with a white haori she almost looked like a plant trying to blossom in the harsh cold weather.

Behind her on the opposite side of the tree was the man that had been with her since March. His hands in his dark blue sleeves, eyes closed as he leaned next to the tree trunk. Today was a much easier day to breathe it seemed; though the cold was still biting his nose and ears. The voices in the background made it worth the while, laughter from children playing in the snow. Opening his soft brown eyes to the white world around him, he could see in the distance the blurry forms of children.

"It's rather beautiful isn't it?"

Okita's head went to his side as if the woman were standing right next to him but only saw the simple umbrella lying under a thin sheet of snow. No smile graced his face as he also watched the snow come down from the sky.

"It looks like it's going to snow for quite some time."

A gentle hum from Aiko came but the fact that it came so slowly made him push himself off the trunk and turn slightly to her. The crunch of the snow drove Aiko's attention away from the snowfall back in the direction of Okita.

"What is it Souji?"

Taking in a deep breath he kneeled down in the snow and laid his hands on top of the thick layer. This time his lips upturned as he landed on his knees. His long bangs covering much of his face and his eyes were no longer visible for Aiko to see as she stared at him. Bending down she reached for the white umbrella and brushed it off, then opening it and holding it over both her and Okita.

"It's been almost eight months now, hasn't it. To think that only nine months ago I was inside a rotting old hospital outside of Tokyo." Aiko's eyes softened to his quiet words as she tried her hardest to look away only to look upon him once more.

"Remembering all the painful times of my past, but some things . . . some things I just can't remember. There are so many cut out memories that maybe, I just don't want to remember."

Slouching his shoulders as one hand reached up for his face, feeling the coldness that the snow had caused. A burning sensation, yet a numbness attacked the skin of his face as he touched it. Then he instantly flinched when the feeling of warmness brought his hand down from his face and a sense that someone was watching him made him look that way. Aiko's greeted his eyes and something just occurred to him as he stared at her kneeling form. Okita's hand quickly went for her hair as he slowly pulled it back with his hand. A sad smile now came to him as he stared at the familiar form.

"You know, I had sister once." His hand now released her hair and drifted back into its original place.

"Her name was Harumasa Nariko, and even though she was my sister for two years she acted more like a mother to me."

Aiko regained her joy as she smiled at him; "Nariko must've been a very caring sister."

His facial expression went blank; "You look like her."

This time Aiko was the one who became shocked, her eyes widened to the suddenly comment. Never in her life has she looked like someone other then her mother, but having this come from Okita it probably meant a lot to him. She was speechless, not knowing how to react Aiko looked away and gazed down to her knees. How exactly was she supposed to react to that?

"I have one main vision of her, Nariko loved cherry blossoms and every year that they bloomed and fell she would be the first to be there. Dancing, laughing, enjoying herself as the pedals flew around her. But the last few moments of the vision there's a scream and suddenly everything goes red. I wasn't there . . ."

Okita's hands clenched his hakama's and he took another deep breath, "I wasn't there . . . when she was killed."

'Killed?'

The woman's head shot toward Okita's shaking body, and if she wasn't seeing things it appeared that the man sitting by her was doing his hardest not to cry. She could feel herself choke as she continued watching him, and her heart began to ache for him.

"Souji."

Suddenly the umbrella fell to the snow; barely making any noise at all as it hit the white floor. Arms suddenly wrapped around Okita, and the unexpected jerk of his body made his go stiff. Only to realize that Aiko was hugging him, trying to comfort him in his loss. With this his arms wrapped around her waist and his body relaxed.

"Souji . . . I'm sure that you've gone through so much in your previous life . . . but . . ."

'Can't you begin again?'

Everything that she had thought about Okita, thinking that he had a better life then she ever would was just an illusion by his smile. But even in the time of despair, Aiko learned that starting again made her happy. She had Okita with her to help her through her long journey, and their relationship had grown tremendously. Even still, something between them was still holding one away from the other and wasn't being broken.

"Aiko, arigato."

Okita's hold around her tightened as they both sat there, the snow gradually falling down only now slower. She smiled, her arms loosened as he felt him bury himself in her clothing. They sat there like that for quite a while, eventually Aiko held up the umbrella to protect them from the weather.

"Let's be together, always, alright Souji?"

Her voice tender and gentle just how it used to be when they had found each other again in the rain. He made no comment though, he just enjoyed the closeness she was giving him, and he was enjoying their moment together.

In truth he knew that in both of their hearts . . .

"Aiko, we will always be together."

...

"This is a surprise, usually it's me getting behind."

Takara looked back at Soujiro with a large grin, her hands rested on her hips as she stared at the boy just below her in the tree. Even since a month ago she had been out by herself but she always seemed to run into him again. She just couldn't get away from him and it was rather annoying to her. He looked up into the trees but saw nothing, even if the trees had no leaves she could still perfectly hide herself in them.

"Well, you are a ninja after all. I'm also surprised though."

The sound of someone landing on twigs came from his left side as looked over his shoulder to see her. But when he saw what she was wearing, he covered his mouth in his last attempt to keep himself from laughing. She hasn't gotten out of the black clothing, only now she wore a coat and scarf to keep her warm.

"You should be surprised, now I know I can sneak up on you anytime I want to."

"Wrong, I'm surprised because you keep following me."

Takara fell to the ground and then shot back up in fury, "What are you talking about? Why would 'I', Isami Takara need to follow a little jerk like you?"

Soujiro smiled, "You know we're back where we started."

Her fist went her the front of her face as she glared deeply at him, "Don't change the subject Seta! . . . What do you mean 'back where we started'?"

"Well, I'm just trying to say that we're almost to Tokyo yet again." Tapping his chin Soujiro looked up at the sky, "Funny, I must've taken a wrong turn."

Looking skeptical Takara raised an eyebrow, "Men like you need to stay home where they belong or else they'll just end up getting themselves killed."

Soujiro immediately shot back a glare, "THAT was uncalled for."

Takara grinned evilly, "Ah, did I strike a nerve? Besides it's true."

Turning her nose to the trees she laughed, and Soujiro well he stared at her blankly.

"Hey Birdie, I believe they call it ego."

ANIME DROP

Before another comment was made Soujiro walked off in the direction of the capital. As he did so though he could feel Takara beaming at him through her thick eyelashes. Momentarily he stopped and again looked over at the girl whom had her arms crossed; "I have a question Birdie."

"That's nice . . . SAVE IT for later!"

But as she was about to walk passed him she was stopped by an arm held out in front of her.

"Why was a ninja such as you in Tokyo?"

Rolling her eyes to the question she looked over at him once more, "Haven't I told you already, 'I' was the Okashira Phoenix."

Pushing his arm away she began to walk again when quite suddenly her arm was grabbed and yanked backward. Confused and angry at the same time she quickly threw Soujiro a glare.

"What? I told you the reason!"

"No you didn't."

Now, frozen from his comment she only stared at him.

"Why did you come back from China when you had a great life over there."

Yet again she was frozen to the ground, and her body wouldn't move as he held her tightly in his one hand.

'Damn, does he have that much power over me?'

Her eyes drifted down to the hand that had her in its grasp and clearly Takara almost wanted to the kill the guy but something was stopping her from doing so.

"Life . . . hardly. I ran away from China, I didn't belong there but my clan didn't want me to come back to Japan alone so they came with me."

Hoping that was all he wanted to listen to she was expecting him to let go of her arm but only realized that he wouldn't let go. Again she became stiff; his blue eyes piercing her flesh at she stood there.

"That's not the only reason is it?"

'What the HELL?! He doesn't know me so how could he know there was more to it then that?'

Then she thought of something, 'Can he read my emotions?'

"Tell me Takara, what's the other reason."

Did he just do what she thought he just did; did he just say her name? She stared wide-eyed at him but soon broke away from his eyes the minute she knew she'd have to tell him.

"In China the Okashira Phoenix was well known because he or she served the empress. But then, the empress I was serving killed herself because the emperor died in battle and she did not want to split with him. When a new emperor and empress came, they both decided to disown the Phoenix clan and make them the new enemies. So, as leader, I had to protect each and every one of the members in the clan. Hoping that one day the government would reclaim the clan.

In the end, they never did and I fought with them tooth and nail, but still they wouldn't let us work for them. We soon became the outlaws and every Chinese ninja was out for my head. I was Japanese, I didn't belong there, and it was their country and their dynasty. Any and every Japanese person from there on was hunted especially me so I took desperate measures. I used up the last of the funds that the clan had earned and used it to get a boat. From there on everyone followed me, and because they followed me to a place where they didn't belong, each and every one of them were . . . slaughtered."

Turning her face away she let her bangs fall into place and awaited Soujiro's next move. But the next move that came was something that relieved her; he finally let go of her upper arm. The footsteps of the boy passed her and continued away from her. Takara gasped and her head shot upward to the retreating form of Soujiro.

Everyone . . . the people that she knew were pushing her away every moment she talked about her past. Even Soujiro did the same, but why do this to a girl who was still a child when she witnessed death? No one pitied her and for that she was glad but then again something inside of her was crying out in rage. That something was trying to be noticed and she was covering it up so well.

"HEY! Don't ignore me! Here I am being kind enough to answer a question and look what you pull!" Her hands went into fists as she stomped forward behind the boy. "The LEAST you could do is tell me something about you since all I know about you is your NAME!"

Soujiro stopped, that's right, he hadn't told her anything about him yet. Then again, it might be better if he didn't. Passing a slight glance over to her, he smiled, "Well, what DO you want me to say? That I don't understand?"

Throwing a glare to her side, "At least you would've said something unlike her."

Soujiro blinked, "Who?"

Closing her eyes and breathing out she walked forward, "Who cares, just another person."

When she passed him an evil grin spread from ear to ear, now she had a question for him. Hopefully he would answer this time.

"So Seta, why are you constantly traveling? Why not settle down somewhere?"

Smiling he walked beside her, "It don't suit me to stay in one place for to long."

"Then why do you carry a sword?"

His smile growing, "As I told you, I'm only carrying this bag, there just happens to be a sword inside."

Again looking away she breathed out a simple "Pfft!" and threw her arms behind her head as they continued to walk. Then another question popped in her mind and she just had to hit herself.

'DUH!'

"So then, if you know it's in the bag, why do you carry it?"

Taken back by the question his gaze fell on her with a shocked expression in place. HA HA! She finally did it, she finally caught him, but she had to ask herself why didn't she ask this question before?

Soujiro thought about the question thoroughly before answering, "Who knows when I might need it, after all I could sell it for some money."

She caught him, "But people don't want swords anymore, what could they possibly do with them?"

Again the boy looked up to the sky and thought, she was asking trick questions, she wanted him to say something that she could go on. So instead of saying something he said nothing and shut himself up.

Takara began laughing, "I knew it, you're some kind of swordsman aren't 'cha?!"

'Shut yourself Soujiro, anything more and she'll use it sometime later against you. Besides she doesn't need to know what has happened in your past.'

Her laughter continued and didn't die, humiliating him in the process. Finally, annoyed by her making comments about it Soujiro stopped and did his best to look serious. Takara glanced back at him with a smile soon disappearing due to the expression.

Sighing he said, "Listen Birdie, I don't care if you like me or not but please try not to attract attention."

Shrugging her shoulders she continued on the path, "Whatever."

Looking up to the sky Soujiro saw the darkening clouds above them, "It's going to snow soon."

...

Back in Tokyo

...

He was finally asleep, dry and asleep in bed. Aiko stared down at him sleeping peacefully on the futon. She was happy what had happened earlier, now she knew that nothing was going to happen between them.

...

Kyoto

February 23 1865

...

Here they were, in front of the Vice-Chief and the Chief. The tension in the air almost choking him as he stood there staring into the two stricken faces. Yamanami sat on the ground, watching his two friend's try they're hardest not to feel the grief he had put them through. But he knew surely he did what the outcome of this was going to be, and he was prepared to go through with it.

"Why . . . Why Sannan? To leave the group WHAT? . . ."

"I wonder . . . what if I asked you both to listen to you're hearts for the source of this event."

Shocked Kondo looked at him, "What? What does that mean?! Are you . . . trying to tell us we were the ones who chased you out?!"

Smiling to looked to the ground, "Chased . . . well. If you can consider destroying those who stand in your way, then of course."

"Do you seriously believe that?"

His gaze shot up to the Vice-Chief who looked more grief-stricken then Kondo and the smile suddenly disappeared from his face.

"Do you truly believe that you are a hindrance?!"

"Thinking of such ridiculous things!"

He only stared at them, then shook his head fiercely before looking seriously at them once more. Then slightly bowing to them both and he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Please let everyone know as soon as possible! The punishment for Vice-Chief Yamanami Keisuke for leaving the Shinsengumi is nothing but seppuku!"

Shocked, Okita stared down at his friend, for the first time in a long time he couldn't breathe because of what was happening. His friend, Yamanami, was basically asking if he could kill himself. The two older men were also as shocked as Okita when the man announced the punishment. Hijikata face turned pale as he stared at him, and Yamanami stared back. Before Kondo could say anything, Hijikata had jumped down from the engawa and made his way toward the man sitting.

"Souji, lend him your wakizashi."

Okita's eyes widened as the hand on his katana went instead for the wakizashi, carefully pulling it from his side. Trying not to falter as he handed the blade to his dear friend Okita took a step away.

Yamanami sat there smiling at the piece of metal in his hand, "I really can't stop making you, from hating me more." He raised the wakizashi to his stomach and let it rest there, the smile not diminishing from his face.

"On this day many years ago, we prayed that something significant would be born."

The young man standing by him saw something changing in the mood as Yamanami held the short blade. Was he really going to commit seppuku? But instead of interfering he just waited for the outcome of the feeling, and continued to watch the man hesitate.

"Forgive me Hijikata-kun."

Without another moment of hesitation, the wakizashi quickly flew from his stomach into the air. But the moment that it came down it suddenly stopped, and a smile went across Yamanami's face once again.

"I wasn't even able to get near you, and see what has brought the marvelous feat."

The blade shuddered in his hands only inches from Hijikata's body and dropped to the ground. In Yamanami's side, a bloody sword stayed. Blood slightly spewing from the man's mouth as he stood. Behind him, a very bewildered boy stood there with absence of mind completely gone. Okita felt something in his stomach curling up in his throat as he stared that the area where his sword had punctured the man's clothing and skin. Taking in a shaky deep breath Okita pulled the sword out from Yamanami's side, crimson droplets following the path the sword made.

"Yamanami-san . . ." Okita choked on his words and just stood there seeing the man in pain fall to the ground. Hijikata also fell to the ground beside his old friend, shock covering up most of the feelings in him at the moment.

"You . . . might . . . have already forgotten . . . long ago on Hino's . . . ground . . . You . . . Told me . . . of your wish."

Grabbing onto Hijikata's gi, tears slowly welled up in his friends eyes as the blood came out of his body.

"I've . . . been so weak . . . uhh . . . I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry Hijikata-kun . . ."

Kondo covered his face with his hand, "That's enough Sannan. Be a . . . Please be a suicide assistant Souji."

No, he didn't want do go near Yamanami, he didn't want to be the one who sent him on his way to the afterlife. But, what could he do to ease the man's pain. He took in short breaths and tried to steady himself, Okita tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to come.

"Ple . . . ase Okita-kun . . . It . . . it hurts."

His hands clenched hard onto the sword in his one hand, he took a step forward and lowered the sword into position. Then with one last choke the sword went quickly into the air and just as quickly as it came up it had come down.

That day . . . Yamanami Keisuke committed seppuku.

But in Okita Souji's mind, confusion and pain both lingered. He knew he did something that helped a man, but . . . he had just lost a close friend.

...

In Shirakawa 1850

...

The smell of smoke and the sound of screams terrified him. He was inside the house curled up in a corner with his sister, both of them shaking with fear. The younger boy holding onto his sister's kimono tightly, staying close to her hoping that the men wouldn't come after them next. The house was a mess, food lay scattered across the floor and the table broken in half.

When the screams ceased and the only sound were of villagers trying their hardest to put out the fires, the two children stood cautiously walked to the door. The girl opened the shoji slightly and peeked outside, some of the houses were on fire across the field. Soujiro opened the door all the way to see what his sister had been seeing, fires out of control as it took down the old Japanese homes. But there was one thing he didn't see; he couldn't see in the darkness where his parents were. They were taken from some men, but now only the villagers remained.

He took a step outside the door and began walking down the porch, stepping into puddles of something. Nariko noticed him walking away and being concerned she walked over to him, "Soujiro wait, what are you doing?"

"Where's oka-san . . . and otoo-san?"

His pace quickened as he reached the end of the engawa and he jumped off it. Nariko following him in fast pursuit.

"Soujiro wait."

She also wanted to know, but she feared on what had happened. But to let her younger brother know and see would hurt him so much. Soujiro turned at the end of the house and disappeared, Nariko also turned the corner and saw that her brother had stopped. Nariko's eyes widened almost immediately as she grabbed her brother and tried to yank him away from the sight. The minute she grabbed him though he began to scream and struggle out of her arms.

"OKA-SAN!"

It was a blood bath from some villagers and their parents, all of the bodies sliced open and each one laying down on the cold each. Soujiro began screaming and crying now, the sight of their parent's dead terrifying him. Nariko felt the same way, but she held onto her brother to keep him away from the bodies that lay in front of them. Crying she turned Soujiro's head away from it and held him tightly in her grasp, and from there on they both sobbed.

...

A few years later a young woman would come and see the many graves set out. She would be accompanied by three young men, her name was Maemi Kirasaka. The three men were Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizou, and Yamanami Keisuke, that day . . . they met the young boy Harumasa Soujiro and his elder sister Nariko.

TBC . . .

...

Next Chapter

...

Takara see's someone rather unexpected and greets him with open arms. Then does Aiko help Okita live through the painful memories once again? Find out in the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?"

...

Reviews

...

CeeCee: "Falls on floor crying yet laughing" Thanks to you I have 67 reviews, OH YOU'RE SO KIND! I saw my yahoo mail page and I litterally was baffled to death. Dang not only from you but by some other people I got reviews on my story's. 11 reviews in all. You know I think I'll quote something that incadove once said to me. AH HEM "id tell you to get a life, but if you did, then I wouldnt be here almost every night now reading a new chapter of yours. So in the long run...I hope you never get a life." LOL!

JadeGoddess: The series Rurouni Kenshin really confused me on dates. They were saying that the time the series was place on was the tenth year of Meiji . . . well, the Meiji era started in 1868 soo- MY story is based on the 11th year of Meiji a year after the Shishio event. So right now Soujiro is now wandering, so the answer to your question is . . . well . . . no?

...

AN: If anyone is confused on the word Oka-san and otoo-san, it means mother and father.

Fanfic by ione


	20. Chapter 19: Friend from Far Away

AN: Riiight, if there were people with lives there would be no Where Are You Now? "LAUGHS" MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I never knew. Maybe I'll continue being really dumb. . . Except when it comes to stories . . . For All those who don't know what PMK is it's just called PeaceMaker Kurogane. It's mainly about the Shinsengumi and has A LOT of scenes with Okita-sama! This chapter is mainly for Takara again, erm, there's going to be very little scenes with Aiko and Okita since I lack people to go back and forth on.

Disclaimer: "Blank face" "Head suddenly flies to her side" I don't Own! Except for Aiko and Takara, mainly Takara, or Aiko . . . or both. So Kondo's daughter is called Tamoko big DEAL!

Where Are You Now?

Chapter 19: From from Far Away

"ACHOO!"

The loud sneeze could probably be heard all across Japan if she were to sneeze just a little louder. She had came down with the worst cold anyone could possibly get. Either it was that or it was the newly acquired snow that bit her nose and eyes. As she walked down the path in the fields she saw her destination in the distance, but she wondered would the girl she knew be there?

"ACHOO! Curse this cold!"

Oh what she would do to get some hot ginseng tea and dofu. (Dofu: Chinese: Jello) Delicious dofu, yes, she would give anything to have that again. Sighing with the realization that no dofu waited for her in her destination she yet again let her mind wander off.

"Qi, I hope you're still alive."

What was she thinking, this was Qi, she was almost a sister to her. That girl couldn't get herself killed even if she tried, she was just too hardheaded, quiet, strong, and efficient. How in the world would she-

'Okay, shut up you're gonna make you're head hurt soon. The point! The point is Qi is still alive!'

After shaking her head to her own comment to bring the subject to a close she looked upward to the empty sky.

"But, I still do wonder."

... "ACHOO!"

In Tokyo

"Yo! Why you walking so slow Seta?" Yelled Takara from ahead of him, her hand comfortably on her hip as she stared back at the slowly walking Soujiro. A scarf wrapped around his neck and his bag held in his hand like always.

"Chirp any louder birdie and you'll cause an avalanche."

Takara glared at him, "What was that!?"

"Oh nothing."

Turning to face the city that she had been in only a few months ago Takara got a strange feeling of being watched. Her face went blank, 'Maybe because Soujiro is staring at the back of my head?'

Quickly she was thrown out of her land of thoughts back into reality when suddenly she realized that Soujiro was no longer behind her. She glared once more and ran up beside him, her arms swinging back and forth cautiously. Something about Tokyo didn't seem right, that annoying feeling of someone closely watching her wasn't going away. But it was strange, why didn't she feel it when she first walked into the city?

Curiosity was currently peaking in Takara, though he'd already asked a personal question of her. He now knew what a mistake that was. Now she was going to get at him by bugging him about his past. Still, he was curious about her, but about what he had no idea. The girl was completely annoying to him even though it was nice to have company around every once in a while.

Glancing to his side only for a quick look he saw something in the woman's eyes that made him shoot another glance at her. Why didn't he notice it before, her ki had become extremely cautious over something.

"Takara?"

Takara's eyes widened as she looked over to him, her ki not even budging a notch under as she looked away from ahead of them. Soujiro quickly laughed at himself; he just said her name again without being polite. Truly, he must've been dying from some awful disease.

"What Seta?"

"What's wrong?"

Takara's eyes narrowed as she looked ahead of them, "Nothing."

This time Soujiro's face went blank as he stared at her. Nothing huh? Maybe he should give her a lesson in 'covering' her ki.

"This time I don't believe you."

Then something really awkward happened, her ki suddenly dropped as she took a deep sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Really Seta, it's nothing,"

Smiling slightly he nodded and just looked ahead of both of them, not knowing exactly what she was sensing. The streets of Tokyo were almost empty as they walked them, and only a few people stood in the doorways of their homes. The snow had stopped an hour ago so now the cold was easier to bear. But every time he saw Takara wrap her arms around her body he would ask if she were all right. To be polite of course, was something that was against her religion as she would either back talk him or glare at him. He knew that when she glared sometimes he could tell it was a threat but to him . . . well, her threats were nothing.

Takara had this strange sensation that someone was watching her and thinking about her. Whatever they were thinking she didn't care, but the fact that person was watching her made something inside her twitch.

"Would you say something!"

Soujiro stopped instantly and looked back at her confused. That comment just slipped right out of her mouth, but still, right now she needed to feel and listen to anything else then what was making her feel uneasy.

"Were you talking to me?" Pointing to himself he stared at her. Takara registered with one of the blankest looks of all.

"No I was talking to your sword!"

Soujiro smiled and turned away, "Oh okay, go ahead and continue with my sword's speechless talk."

Frozen in her place she glared at him, "Se-ta-!"

Turning around with a fake expression this time he replied, "Yes, did my sword say something bad?"

Before he was even able to react something hard hit his forehead . . . hard and wet. The boy opened his eyes to a flaming Takara and in the middle running down his nose some snow. Putting his hand up to his burning forehead he wiped off the snow and closed his eyes.

"Ow . . ."

"YOU deserved it! If you don't stop now I might just have to attack you!"

"Attack me?"

Opening his eyes once more to see Takara again he frowned, "Whatever you say birdie."

With that said he turned back around, his hand now leaving the front of his head as he walked on. Takara took a deep breath before continuing to walk ahead.

'Well, I surely messed up another conversation.'

She hit him with a snowball . . .

And he didn't dodge it . . .

Heaven must be against him . . .

Shishio has to be laughing at him . . .

Owww . . .

Soujiro rubbed the now red spot in between his eyes and stiffly looked on. The relationship between him and Takara only seemed to be getting worse. Not that he wanted a friendship with her in the first place but she just wouldn't go away. She was determined on tagging along with him no matter what. And he . . . he let her tag along all this time, without warning her or yelling at her but doing those sort of things just didn't seem to suit him.

'Maybe because of what happened.'

"Birdie, why _are_ you following me?" He painfully stated.

Takara glanced over at him quickly before looking away, why was she following him? In all truth she really didn't know why she was still with him. In the beginning he had just stole her money but she did get it back. Maybe it was because she was angry at that time and set her mind on following him.

'Smack yourself Takara, smack yourself REALLY, REALLY HARD!'

The mental note that had popped into her mind just a moment ago was rather disturbing. She was acting like a lost puppy and wanting to follow . . .

'Yep, smack yourself now . . .'

She was about to do so when quite suddenly she ran into brick wall; funny though it smelt like fruit. But instead falling backward like any normal girl she took a step away and covered her nose.

"Itai-!"

Opening her eyes she saw that the brick wall she had run into was just merely the annoying Soujiro who wasn't budging an inch. Takara took that lost step back and looked above his shoulder to see what was wrong.

She didn't see anything.

"Seta you jerk, stopping all of a-"

"There's some one watching us."

Takara peaked above his shoulder again to try and find the elusive thing that had seemed to capture Soujiro's interest. Upon not finding anything again, Takara gave his back a blank look.

"The trees?"

Heaving a sigh he shook his head in denial. His name for her must really fit, as it seemed her brain was the size of that of a bird's.

"Takara be quiet."

Her eyes narrowed as her fists rose, "And why should I? I don't see any reason why I SHOULD!"

"Hm." Was his almost silent answer to her little fit. Was it too much to ask for, for her to be silent? And by the different array of colors her face was turning, it seemed as though, yes, it was.

Takara silently fumed, who was this man to tell her to be quiet. She could be quiet if she needed to be. She wasn't one of those types that would just keep talking and talking and talking when silence was needed. Oh no sir-rie she was _not _one of those.

"Don't you ignore me BUSTER! I'll have you know I am a shinobi! And I'm smart enough to even BE quiet! So don't you dare tell ME, Isami Takara to. Shut. UP!

A smirk played with his lips as he slyly whispered over his shoulder to her.

"I'm sorry my great and wonderful Isami Takara, but I do not believe that I told you to 'shut up' per say."

Takara's eyes bulged and her mouth fell, that insolent jerk!

"WHY YOU!"

All of a sudden Takara stopped yelling and immediately looked to her side to the top of one of the homes. On top was a person staring down at the two, red and white clothing with a rather familiar symbol on it.

"Hey Qi!"

Takara flinched by the name that was called out, and her eyes widened as the person jumped from the rooftop. Her graceful fall not unwatched by both people as a soft crunch came from ahead of them. Hands reached up to the hood covering his or her face, pulling it back to reveal thick black hair with naturally narrow black eyes which fell upon Takara. But instead of being on guard Takara was happy to see the old face.

A face that she knew all to well, "Ling, you gotta be kindin' me!"

Soujiro raised an eyebrow and looked to Takara, "You know her?"

"Of course I know her, she's a pal of mine from China!"

Ling walked toward to the two of them and stop before Soujiro and looked down into his eyes.

"And who are you?"

Without giving him a chance to explain who he was Ling started talking to him again.

"Are you watching over her? Are you making sure that my little Qi isn't getting into any trouble? Your such a good little protector aren't you!"

Ling clapped her hands together and had to force herself to not jump onto him and hug him so very tightly.

Protector? Him? Protect her? Yeah, like that was ever going to happen. Takara silently questioned her friend's mental health; things weren't looking too good for her. After all, wasn't SHE the one who looked out for HIM?

Silence surrounded the newly aquatinted friends, neither of them noticing Soujiro try to make a hasty, yet silent, escape.

'I'm surrounded by two _female _ninjas . . . someone help me . . .'

He didn't make it far before a firm hand landed on his shoulder, momentarily stopping him from his freedom.

"_How long have you been with Takara_?"

His throat constricted at the hidden threat that laced Ling's words. It was painstakingly clear she had somehow gotten the WRONG impression. He looked over to Takara in a plea for help, but only saw her cross her arms and give him a smirk from hell. He sighed, this was his punishment for calling her a bird.

"Um, eh, heh heh."

Ling's expression grew darker and she suddenly pushed Soujiro away from her. Grabbing a corner of her cloak she made a show of wiping her hand clean.

Her black eyes met his own blue in an accusing glare.

"I knew it! You were sleeping with her! Weren't you?"

Takara's smirk quickly faded, and the ground looked oddly inviting. Hitting it with a bang, she stood back up and gave an exaggerated, "NANI?"

Ling's attention was brought back to the one she had come to visit, and she glared at her too.

"I thought it could be trusted that you wouldn't just go around and sleep with any BOY in Japan! Qi! Don't you have any decency?"

Takara snapped to attention with the question of her loyalty to herself. The idea that her sister figure would believe that she, of all people, would sleep with this guy seemed incredibly funny. And yet, it angered her to no end.

"What! It's his fault! He... he took my money, hid my weapons! He . . . he . . . he changed me! And he calls me birdie too! It's his fault! Blame HIM, not me! I did nothing of that sort. Wait. NO I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HIM!"

Soujiro gave her a curious glance before asking, "I changed you?"

"SHUT UP! You're only making this worse you BAKA! Leave, be gone with you, shoo!"

Figuring that this was as best opportunity that he had to leave, he did just that, he turned to leave.

"Wait! You can't go yet! I still need to get my revenge! SETA!"

"Hey Qi, who's Seta?"

AN: AH HAHA AH HAHAHA HA!!!! I hate this! "falls to floor in complete agony" I don't want to do this anymore, my brain has been blow dried, stomped on, and buried. SO HARD! Well, here's a REALLY short chapter for you guys, sorry that it became so short but hey! It happens. Brain dead and well writer's block just loves to pop up once in a while. YAY!

Fanfic by ione


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